Wednesday 22 May 1667
Up, and by water to White Hall to Sir G. Carteret, who tells me now for certain how the Commission for the Treasury is disposed of: viz., to Duke of Albemarle, Lord Ashly, Sir W. Coventry, Sir John Duncomb, and Sir Thomas Clifford: at which, he says, all the whole Court is disturbed; it having been once concluded otherwise into the other hands formerly mentioned in yesterday’s notes, but all of a sudden the King’s choice was changed, and these are to be the men; the first of which is only for a puppet to give honour to the rest. He do presage that these men will make it their business to find faults in the management of the late Lord Treasurer, and in discouraging the bankers: but I am, whatever I in compliance do say to him, of another mind, and my heart is very glad of it, for I do expect they will do much good, and that it is the happiest thing that hath appeared to me for the good of the nation since the King come in. Thence to St. James’s, and up to the Duke of York; and there in his chamber Sir W. Coventry did of himself take notice of this business of the Treasury, wherein he is in the Commission, and desired that I would be thinking of any thing fit for him to be acquainted with for the lessening of charge and bettering of our credit, and what our expence hath been since the King’s coming home, which he believes will be one of the first things they shall enquire into: which I promised him, and from time to time, which he desires, will give him an account of what I can think of worthy his knowledge. I am mighty glad of this opportunity of professing my joy to him in what choice the King hath made, and the hopes I have that it will save the kingdom from perishing and how it do encourage me to take pains again, after my having through despair neglected it! which he told me of himself that it was so with him, that he had given himself up to more ease than ever he expected, and that his opinion of matters was so bad, that there was no publick employment in the kingdom should have been accepted by him but this which the King hath now given him; and therein he is glad, in hopes of the service he may do therein; and in my conscience he will. So into the Duke of York’s closet; and there, among other things, Sir W. Coventry did take notice of what he told me the other day, about a report of Commissioner Pett’s dealing for timber in the Navy, and selling it to us in other names; and, besides his own proof, did produce a paper I had given him this morning about it, in the case of Widow Murford and Morecocke, which was so handled, that the Duke of York grew very angry, and commanded us presently to fall into the examination of it, saying that he would not trust a man for his sake that lifts up the whites of his eyes. And it was declared that if he be found to have done so, he should be reckoned unfit to serve the Navy; and I do believe he will be turned out; and it was, methought, a worthy saying of Sir W. Coventry to the Duke of York, “Sir,” says he, “I do not make this complaint out of any disrespect to Commissioner Pett, but because I do love to do these things fairly and openly.”
Thence I to Westminster Hall with Sir G. Carteret to the Chequer Chamber to hear our cause of the Lindeboome prize there before the Lords of Appeal, where was Lord Ashly, Arlington, Barkely, and Sir G. Carteret, but the latter three signified nothing, the former only either minding or understanding what was said. Here was good pleading of Sir Walter Walker’s and worth hearing, but little done in our business. Thence by coach to the Red Lyon, thinking to meet my father, but I come too soon, but my wife is gone out of town to meet him. I am in great pain, poor man, for him, lest he should come up in pain to town. So I staid not, but to the ’Change, and there staid a little, where most of the newes is that the Swedes are likely to fall out with the Dutch, which we wish, but how true I know not. Here I met my uncle Wight, the second day he hath been abroad, having been sick these two months even to death, but having never sent to me even in the greatest of his danger. I do think my Aunt had no mind I should come, and so I never went to see him, but neither he took notice of it to me, nor I made any excuse for it to him, but past two or three How do you’s, and so parted and so home, and by and by comes my poor father, much better than I expected, being at ease by fits, according as his truss sits, and at another time in as much pain. I am mighty glad to see him come well to town. So to dinner, where Creed comes. After dinner my wife and father abroad, and Creed and I also by water, and parted at the Temple stairs, where I landed, and to the King’s house, where I did give 18d., and saw the two last acts of “The Goblins,” a play I could not make any thing of by these two acts, but here Knipp spied me out of the tiring-room, and come to the pit door, and I out to her, and kissed her, she only coming to see me, being in a country-dress, she, and others having, it seemed, had a country-dance in the play, but she no other part: so we parted, and I into the pit again till it was done. The house full, but I had no mind to be seen, but thence to my cutler’s, and two or three other places on small, errands, and so home, where my father and wife come home, and pretty well my father, who to supper and betimes to bed at his country hours. I to Sir W. Batten’s, and there got some more part of my dividend of the prize-money. So home and to set down in writing the state of the account, and then to supper, and my wife to her flageolet, wherein she did make out a tune so prettily of herself, that I was infinitely pleased beyond whatever I expected from her, and so to bed.
This day coming from Westminster with W. Batten, we saw at White Hall stairs a fisher-boat, with a sturgeon that he had newly catched in the River; which I saw, but it was but a little one; but big enough to prevent my mistake of that for a colt, if ever I become Mayor of Huntingdon!1
29 Annotations
First Reading
Bradford • Link
"the Duke of York grew very angry . . . saying that he would not trust a man for his sake that lifts up the whites of his eyes."
Translation, anybody? Rolling one's eyes up to Heaven in resignation at the ways of the world?
Robert Gertz • Link
"I am mighty glad of this opportunity of professing my joy to him in what choice the King hath made, and the hopes I have that it will save the kingdom from perishing and how it do encourage me to take pains again, after my having through despair neglected it! which he told me of himself that it was so with him, that he had given himself up to more ease than ever he expected, and that his opinion of matters was so bad, that there was no publick employment in the kingdom should have been accepted by him but this which the King hath now given him; and therein he is glad, in hopes of the service he may do therein..."
Sam at his best, sincere and wanting to be of some good use to the Nation. Nice that his trust of Coventry is such he'd be so honest. It seems he either didn't believe in Mrs. Turner's accusations toward Coventry yesterday or didn't think they mattered much.
Robert Gertz • Link
"Here I met my uncle Wight, the second day he hath been abroad, having been sick these two months even to death..."
Thank God Uncle has been spared. There's many I'd rather lose than that foul but hilarious old would-be Lothario.
Though I'd say, Sam, you're out of the will.
***
cum salis grano • Link
"...his country hours..." ? dawn to dusk?
Save on candle power.
andy • Link
his opinion of matters was so bad, that there was no publick employment in the kingdom should have been accepted by him but this which the King hath now given him
So it goes again in the publick employment:
"According to the leaked draft, the Queen will announce that the government's priority will be to "reduce the deficit and restore economic growth" and to "accelerate the reduction of the structural budget deficit", with five Bills led by the Treasury.
...
It is also said to include a "great repeals Bill" to get rid of Labour legislation opposed by the Tories and Lib Dems when they were in opposition." BBC news on our new masters this morning.
JWB • Link
Say what?
"...our expence bath been since the King’s coming home."
Robert Gertz • Link
Heaven...
Bess, reading.
Door locked against a nervous Sam...
"Some passages are bad...And really make me sad.
Others just make me swear and curse."
Sigh...
"But when chewing on Sam's gristle,
I don't grumble (being a 17th century dutiful wife with low expectations) I give a whistle..."
Grin...
"And strangely things just turn out for the best. (Hello, boys...Will Hewer, Mr. Pembleton, Lord Sandwich, Lord Hinchingbroke, Captain Ferrers, Charles, Jamie, Uncle Wight). So..."
Chorus...
"Always look on the bright side of life..." Whistle.
"Bess, is there someone in there with you?"
"Always look on the right side of life..."
"Bess! I know there's a man..." Listens... "Men! In there with you!! Hewer, is that you?! Defend my interests, boy!!"
"Yes, Mr. P." Will calls.
Bess...
"For life is quite absurb...You can take my Samuel's word. But you can always make up later with a vow. He forgets about his sin, but at least he makes you grin."
"I say enjoy life, it's our one chance anyhow!" Sam tries...
("Just taking your advice, dear!" call.)
Chorus...
"And also look on the bright side of death." Whistle.
[Spoiler...
"As I near to draw my terminal breath..." Bess...Frown.
"And I did have that terrific bust of you made! All my annotators praise it." desperate try from door.]
Sam...Sighing.
"Bess, love is just bizarre...You don't see till the final hour. Just how much your loved one means to you. But love, all the rest was show, to keep me laughing as I go..." ("And you know how painful...")"Remember that the story ends with you."
Chorus...
"And always look on the bright side of life." Whistle.
"Always look on the right side of life." Whistle.
("How can she keep these gentlemen in there with her here, isn't this Heaven?" Sam frowns to Peter. "Exactly." Peter smiles.)
"Always look on the bright side of life." Whistle.
("I think he's had enough, gentlemen. You go home to Lady Jemina, now Edward." "Right, cousin Bess." warm smile.)
"Always look on the right side of life." Whistle.
("I don't see our reigns were all that bad. Look at the world sit in today's Times." Charles notes to morose Jamie. "Oh, buck up, Jamie...I'll put things right with Mary and Anne. You're a dutiful type but you've got to learn to be less rigid with people. Story of your life...")
"Always look on the bright side of life." Whistle.
"Always look on the right side of life." Whistle.
("I can break down doors in Heaven?" Sam asks. "Whatever turns you on." Peter nods.)
"I'll take my next lesson Thursday, Mr. Pembleton. It's still...No, Uncle." Bess frowns at Wight.
"Hardly Heaven, niece." miffed Wight pouts.
Fern • Link
@JWB - "expence bath"
Something to do with money-laundering?
Todd Bernhardt • Link
re: "expence bath"
A scanning error, I'd say. Most likely "expense hath"...
JWB • Link
TB:
It was the 'accidental art' of the phrase.
Robert Gertz • Link
"...desired that I would be thinking of any thing fit for him to be acquainted with for the lessening of charge and bettering of our credit, and what our expence bath been since the King’s coming home, which he believes will be one of the first things they shall enquire into..."
It would be a very cute thing were it real rather than misscan. "Expense bath"-almost poetic as an image in its way.
Fern • Link
My money-laundering comment was a joke, but it's hard to convey the tone of voice in print...
Terry Foreman • Link
Colonel Henry Norwood to Sandwich
Written from: Tangier
Date: 22 May 1667
Communicates some particulars as to the commerce of Tangier with the Moors and Spaniards, more particularly in Corn, and some difficulties which have accrued thereout. Requests Lord Sandwich to use his influence with the Duke of Medina Celi [? Medina de la Torres ?] for an amicable settlement of the latter ...
http://www.bodley.ox.ac.uk/dept/s…
Second Reading
Terry Foreman • Link
Arlington to Ormond
Date: 22 May 1667
Has to acknowledge his Grace's letter of the 14th, with the good news of the taking of David Byrne [? In MS: "Burne"]. His being known to be such a villain, and his reputation so strong of being a spy, makes him fit for any severity he shall appear to deserve. ...
Adds particulars concerning the new Commission of the Treasury and other political incidents.
...
http://www.bodley.ox.ac.uk/dept/s…
L&M note among these particulars the fact that members were of 'a lower station than formerly...gives occasion of much discourse', but that they were 'not unfitting instruments to ratify the disorders of the Exchequer'.
The King said he wanted 'rougher hands', 'ill-natured men, not to be moved with civilities': H. Roseveare, Treasury, p. 58, but Williamson was pleased because all, except Albemarle, were expert administrators [-- apparently Pepys's view also].
Terry Foreman • Link
"Sir W. Coventry did take notice of...a report of Commissioner Pett’s dealing for timber in the Navy, and selling it to us in other names;"
L&M note Pett replied to these charges on 24 May, alleging, inter alia, that 'Murford and Moorcock went two-thirds in Newhall [i.e. Albemarle's] timber. The charges were soon lost sight of in the larger disgrace of the Medway disaster, for which Pett became a scapegoat. Murford referred to his part of the bargain in his will (June 1666).
Terry Foreman • Link
"to the ‘Change...where most of the newes is that the Swedes are likely to fall out with the Dutch, which we wish, but how true I know not."
L&M direct us to http://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/1… for a similar (and similarly untrue) rumor. The Dutch were to make a treaty with Sweden on 18/28 July.
Terry Foreman • Link
"Up, and by water to White Hall to Sir G. Carteret, who tells me now for certain how the Commission for the Treasury is disposed of: viz., to Duke of Albemarle, Lord Ashly, Sir W. Coventry, Sir John Duncomb, and Sir Thomas Clifford: at which, he says, all the whole Court is disturbed; it having been once concluded otherwise into the other hands formerly mentioned in yesterday’s notes"
L&M: The entry for 20 May, written on the 21st. Pepys had expected the Chancellor and both Secretaries to be on the commission, precedent being strongly in favour of the appointment of Privy Councillors and high dignitaries. Secretary Williamson, in his Journal (20 May) wrote that membership was 'much different from the forward judgments of the Towne': PRO, SP 29/231, p. 22.
Terry Foreman • Link
"we saw at White Hall stairs a fisher-boat, with a sturgeon that he had newly catched in the River; which I saw, but it was but a little one; but big enough to prevent my mistake of that for a colt, if ever I become Mayor of Huntingdon!"
L&M: The Huntingdon town authorities were alleged to have seized a drowned colt from the floods in 1624 under the impression it was a sturgeon: See R. C., Hist. Hunt. (1824), n.p.; cf. Huntington Divertissement (1678), p. 18. It soon became a well-known joke against this town: cf. Poems of John Cleveland (ed. Morris and Withington), p. 33; et al. Pepys later (c. 1685) makes a cryptic reference to the incident in Naval Minutes, p. 237. Possibly the Mayor claimed all royal fish taken above the bridge in the same way as the Lord Mayor of London claimed all taken above London Bridge.
Kew Gardener • Link
Sam goes to see the last two acts of The Goblins and then seems surprised he could make nothing of the play; seems odd walking in halfway like this!
Scube • Link
I too am curious about the "lifts up the whites of his eyes" comment. Any insight?
San Diego Sarah • Link
"It seems he either didn't believe in Mrs. Turner's accusations toward Coventry yesterday or didn't think they mattered much."
I think Pepys is secure in his relationship with William Coventry, who has been tutoring him in the art of management (playing good cop/bad cop together in Portsmouth so many years ago), cooperating on writing difficult memorandums, and discussing the affairs of the day for so long that if those marks by Penn had meant much, the potential damage was ignored long ago.
I think they all assumed they were spying on each other, anyways. Knowing what to look for was priceless ... now Pepys could mimic it to Penn's detriment if he likes. Or am I being a tad too Machiavellian even for the 17th century?
San Diego Sarah • Link
"I too am curious about the "lifts up the whites of his eyes" comment. Any insight?"
Possibly James was saying he didn't trust someone who rolled his eyes? There is no help from Google on this, but a 2014 article in Psychology Today says that humans read much from the amount of eye white that is showing, and even dogs read our faces and pay attention to the amount of eye white showing. Maybe this is a note about some common wisdom of Pepys' time, lost to us.
https://www.psychologytoday.com/u…
San Diego Sarah • Link
I'm surprised James was at work today:
Charles Stuart, Duke of Kendal (4 July 1666 – 22 May 1667) was the third son of James, Duke of York and his first wife Anne Hyde.
Charles was born on 4 July 1666 at St. James's Palace. His godparents were his 3-year-old brother James, Duke of Cambridge, James Scot, Duke of Monmouth and Emilia von Nassau, Countess of Ossory. He was designated Duke of Kendal and was to have been created Duke of Kendal, Earl of Wigmore and Baron of Holdenby, but no patent was ever enrolled.
He died at St. James's Palace at the age of 10 months on 22 May, 1667 and was buried in Westminster Abbey on 30 May 1667.
San Diego Sarah • Link
"... his country hours ..."? dawn to dusk?
Dawn to dusk is not early in late May in London. Sunset is 9:45 p.m. [21:45] today ... but remember we are 10 days off, but I can never remember in which direction.
Assuming this is roughly correct, Pepys went visiting Batten around 10 p.m., came home and wrote up his accounts, meaning he and Bess must have been noshing again and plonking on the flageolet at around 11:30 p.m. Such energy!
Mary K • Link
Sunset in London yesterday was at 20.58h BST (British Summer Time) which is one hour ahead of GMT (Greenwich Mean Time) 19.58h
Allowing for the later (1752) change of calendar, Pepys would have been 11 days 'behind' GMT, so his sunset time would have been roughly 19.42, give or take a minute or two.
Not so very late, after all (provided that I've got that all right!)
San Diego Sarah • Link
Thank you for sorting out my confusion, Mary K. I completely forgot about daylight savings! Playing with the clock makes it so confusing
Clark Kent • Link
About that "lifts up the whites of his eyes" entry: I speculate that it is related to John 4:35. "Say not ye, There are yet four months till harvest, yet behold I say unto you,Lift up your eyes, and look upon the fields, for they are white, ready to harvest." The Duke may have been saying that he would regard any office-holder who took immediate (over) advantage of his position to line his pockets (harvest the spoils of office prematurely) to be untrustworthy. (So watch yourself, Sam.)
San Diego Sarah • Link
That makes perfect sense, Clark Kent. Thank you.
San Diego Sarah • Link
"Thence I to Westminster Hall with Sir G. Carteret to the Chequer Chamber to hear our cause of the Lindeboome prize there before the Lords of Appeal, where was Lord Ashly, Arlington, Barkely, and Sir G. Carteret, but the latter three signified nothing, the former only either minding or understanding what was said. Here was good pleading of Sir Walter Walker’s and worth hearing, but little done in our business."
and later
"I to Sir W. Batten’s, and there got some more part of my dividend of the prize-money."
To begin with I thought that this signalled that they won their case. But on reflection I think the dividend came from the sale of previous spoils ... excuse me, prize goods.