Tuesday 18 February 1667/68

Up by break of day, and walked down to the old Swan, where I find little Michell building, his booth being taken down, and a foundation laid for a new house, so that that street is like to be a very fine place. I drank, but did not see Betty, and so to Charing Cross stairs, and thence walked to Sir W. Coventry’s,1 and talked with him, who tells me how he hath been persecuted, and how he is yet well come off in the business of the dividing of the fleete, and the sending of the letter. He expects next to be troubled about the business of bad officers in the fleete, wherein he will bid them name whom they call bad, and he will justify himself, having never disposed of any but by the Admiral’s liking. And he is able to give an account of all them, how they come recommended, and more will be found to have been placed by the Prince and Duke of Albemarle than by the Duke of York during the war, and as no bad instance of the badness of officers he and I did look over the list of commanders, and found that we could presently recollect thirty-seven commanders that have been killed in actuall service this war. He tells me that Sir Fr. Hollis is the main man that hath persecuted him hitherto, in the business of dividing the fleete, saying vainly that the want of that letter to the Prince hath given him that, that he shall remember it by to his grave, meaning the loss of his arme; when, God knows! he is as idle and insignificant a fellow as ever come into the fleete. He tells me that in discourse on Saturday he did repeat Sir Rob. Howard’s words about rowling out of counsellors, that for his part he neither cared who they rowled in, nor who they rowled out, by which the word is become a word of use in the House, the rowling out of officers. I will remember what, in mirth, he said to me this morning, when upon this discourse he said, if ever there was another Dutch war, they should not find a Secretary; “Nor,” said I, “a Clerk of the Acts, for I see the reward of it; and, thanked God! I have enough of my own to buy me a good book and a good fiddle, and I have a good wife;” — “Why,” says he, “I have enough to buy me a good book, and shall not need a fiddle, because I have never a one of your good wives.” I understand by him that we are likely to have our business of tickets voted a miscarriage, but [he] cannot tell me what that will signify more than that he thinks they will report them to the King and there leave them, but I doubt they will do more.

Thence walked over St. James’s Park to White Hall, and thence to Westminster Hall, and there walked all the morning, and did speak with several Parliament-men — among others, Birch, who is very kind to me, and calls me, with great respect and kindness, a man of business, and he thinks honest, and so long will stand by me, and every such man, to the death. My business was to instruct them to keep the House from falling into any mistaken vote about the business of tickets, before they were better informed. I walked in the Hall all the morning with my Lord Brouncker, who was in great pain there, and, the truth is, his business is, without reason, so ill resented by the generality of the House, that I was almost troubled to be seen to walk with him, and yet am able to justify him in all, that he is under so much scandal for. Here I did get a copy of the report itself, about our paying off men by tickets; and am mightily glad to see it, now knowing the state of our case, and what we have to answer to, and the more for that the House is like to be kept by other business to-day and to-morrow, so that, against Thursday, I shall be able to draw up some defence to put into some Member’s hands, to inform them, and I think we may [make] a very good one, and therefore my mind is mightily at ease about it. This morning they are upon a Bill, brought in to-day by Sir Richard Temple, for obliging the King to call Parliaments every three years; or, if he fail, for others to be obliged to do it, and to keep him from a power of dissolving any Parliament in less than forty days after their first day of sitting, which is such a Bill as do speak very high proceedings, to the lessening of the King; and this they will carry, and whatever else they desire, before they will give any money; and the King must have money, whatever it cost him. I stepped to the Dog Tavern, and thither come to me Doll Lane, and there we did drink together, and she tells me she is my valentine … [and there I did tocar sa cosa and might have done whatever else yo voudrais, but there was nothing but only chairs in the room and so we were unable para hazer algo. – L&M] Thence, she being gone, and having spoke with Mr. Spicer here, whom I sent for hither to discourse about the security of the late Act of 11 months’ tax on which I have secured part of my money lent to Tangier, I to the Hall, and there met Sir W. Pen, and he and I to the Beare, in Drury Lane, an excellent ordinary, after the French manner, but of Englishmen; and there had a good fricassee, our dinner coming to 8s., which was mighty pretty, to my great content; and thence, he and I to the King’s house, and there, in one of the upper boxes, saw “Flora’s Vagarys,” which is a very silly play; and the more, I being out of humour, being at a play without my wife, and she ill at home, and having no desire also to be seen, and, therefore, could not look about me. Thence to the Temple, and there we parted, and I to see Kate Joyce, where I find her and her friends in great ease of mind, the jury having this day given in their verdict that her husband died of a feaver. Some opposition there was, the foreman pressing them to declare the cause of the feaver, thinking thereby to obstruct it: but they did adhere to their verdict, and would give no reason; so all trouble is now over, and she safe in her estate, which I am mighty glad of, and so took leave, and home, and up to my wife, not owning my being at a play, and there she shews me her ring of a Turky-stone set with little sparks of dyamonds, which I am to give her, as my Valentine, and I am not much troubled at it. It will cost me near 5l. — she costing me but little compared with other wives, and I have not many occasions to spend on her. So to my office, where late, and to think upon my observations to-morrow, upon the report of the Committee to the Parliament about the business of tickets, whereof my head is full, and so home to supper and to bed.


27 Annotations

First Reading

Terry Foreman  •  Link

"he neither cared who they rowled in, nor who they rowled out, by which the word is become a word of use in the House, the rowling out of officers."

L&M say this expression did not survive nor was it noticed in contemporary dictionaries, the OED or its Supplement. However, http://www.wordnik.com/words/rowl

***

What the ellipsis suppressed

"I stepped to the Dog Tavern, and thither come to me Doll Lane and there we did drink together, and she tells me she is my valentine; and there I did tocar sa cosa and might have done whatever else yo voudrais, but there was nothing but only chairs in the room and so we were unable para hazer algo. Thence she being gone,...."

L&M text.

Terry Foreman  •  Link

Ossory to Ormond
Written from: [London]
Date: 18 February 1668

In spite of the suspicions that many of the Duke's friends have long had as to Lord Orrery, it does not appear that a meeting between the Duke and him could have any ill effect. For the more he may make professions of friendship, the more shame would attach to him upon future proof of contrary acts.

As to the charges against the Duke, "for executing mutineers, and for permitting Popery", they are so evidently frivolous, that the writer thinks it likely they will be left out, lest they should discountenance other charges.

http://www.rsl.ox.ac.uk/dept/scwm…

Michael Robinson  •  Link

"... if ever there was another Dutch war, they should not find a Secretary; “Nor,” said I, “a Clerk of the Acts, for I see the reward of it; ..."

"blessed be God! am worth 1400l. odd money, something more than ever I was yet in the world."
http://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/1…

Yet, blessed be God! and I pray God make me thankful for it, I do find myself worth in money, all good, above 6,200l.; which is above 1800l. more than I was the last year.
http://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/1…

http://www.pepysdiary.com/images_…

Robert Gertz  •  Link

Well...Sam was speaking figuratively about rewards. As Mr. Birch was hardly serious about standing by to the death for a man as admirable as our Sam.

***
"It will cost me near 5l. — she costing me but little compared with other wives, and I have not many occasions to spend on her." Birthdays, anniversaries, holidays...Hey, any day...One makes the occassion, Sam.

Christopher Squire  •  Link

‘ . . the rowling out of officers . . ’

I think this must be a variant of ‘rule’ that has escaped the lexicographers:

‘rule v. . . 8.d. To shut or put out by formal decision.
1869    ‘M. Twain’ Innocents Abroad li. 539   Though they have been ruled out of our modern Bible, it is claimed that they were accepted gospel twelve or fifteen centuries ago.’
[OED]

language hat  •  Link

"thanked God!"

An interesting phrase; I wonder if it was actually spoken, or if it was a rationalized written form (like "John his book" for "John's book").

"I think this must be a variant of ‘rule’ that has escaped the lexicographers"

Unlikely, in my view; the way Sam discusses it makes it clear it is a bit of lively (and, in the event, ephemeral) slang arising from the exclamation "for his part he neither cared who they rowled in, nor who they rowled out," which suggests the vivid image of rolling people in and out rather than the abstract notion of ruling.

Phoenix  •  Link

" And more exactly to express his hue, Use nothing but ultra-mariuish blue."

Ultramarine was a very expensive pigment made of crushed lapis lazuli. Vermeer used it extensively. Segue thus to an amusing trifle. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XP…

"... there was nothing but only chairs in the room and so we were unable para hazer algo"

Clearly a man in need of more fuel.

Terry Foreman  •  Link

"“… there was nothing but only chairs in the room and so we were unable para hazer algo”

Clearly a man in need of more fuel."

and imagination. ;-)

Claire  •  Link

It seems to me that "rowling" in and "rowling" out refers not to literally (albeit colorfully) "rolling," but rather placing on the "roll" of names (or taking off same.)

JWB  •  Link

Cavaliers & cowboys know what rowels are & what they're used for.

language hat  •  Link

"It seems to me that “rowling” in and “rowling” out refers not to literally (albeit colorfully) “rolling,” but rather placing on the “roll” of names (or taking off same.)"

Ah, that makes sense. Excellent suggestion.

cgs  •  Link

rowl equals rule that is

Second Reading

Terry Foreman  •  Link

"I find little Michell building, his booth being taken down"

Michael Mitchell, who kept a strong-water house, had used a temporary shelter. (Per L&M note)

Terry Foreman  •  Link

" “Why,” says he, “I have enough to buy me a good book, and shall not need a fiddle....""

L&M say this is a double-entendre; and reference
"My master's lost his fiddling stick,
And doesn't know what to do."

An early published version of this rhyme dates to 1606:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coc…

Shakespeare's Taming of a Shrew II.i (1594) features a "Cock' joke:
https://books.google.com/books?id…

The formula of a first-person narrator recounting the misadventures of his cock or other pet bird is a late medieval European trope [click twice, scroll down] :
https://books.google.com/books?id…'&f=false

Terry Foreman  •  Link

"Here I did get a copy of the report itself"

L&M note: this would be a MS. copy obtained at the office of the lerk og the House of Commons. Pepys retained a copy (13 February) in Hewer's hand (Rawl. A 191 ff. 228-30) and also a copy of the petition presented on the 18th to the Commons: To the right honourable the Lords and Commons assembled in Parliament. The humble petition of many poor distressed sea-mens wives, and widows. [London: s.n., 1668]
Early English Books Online [full text]
http://quod.lib.umich.edu/cgi/t/t…

Terry Foreman  •  Link

"a Bill, brought in to-day by Sir Richard Temple, for obliging the King to call Parliaments every three years; or, if he fail, for others to be obliged to do it, and to keep him from a power of dissolving any Parliament in less than forty days after their first day of sitting"

An attempt (by Temple, Littletin, Howard and other) to re-introduce the terms of the Triennial Act of 1641 which the King had take care to have repealed in 1664: http://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/1…
The Commons now ordered the bill to be withdrawn: http://www.british-history.ac.uk/… For the debate, see Grey: http://www.british-history.ac.uk/…
(Per L&M)

Terry Foreman  •  Link

"the security of the late Act of 11 months’ tax on which I have secured part of my money lent to Tangier"

Sc. the money lent to Pepys as Treasurer for Tangier. He had £15,000 and £6000 registered on orders on this tax. Backwell advanced hinm £6000 on 9 July 1668. PRO, R 403/2430. (l&m)

Terry Foreman  •  Link

"an excellent ordinary, after the French manner"

I.e. with the courses served separately. (L&M)

Terry Foreman  •  Link

" the Duke of York...and I did look over the list of commanders, and found that we could presently recollect thirty-seven commanders that have been killed in actuall service this war."

L&M: The Duke of York gave Pepys a copy of the list of 39 commanders killed in the war: Rawl. A 191, ff. 198-9.

Terry Foreman  •  Link

"he neither cared who they rowled in, nor who they rowled out, by which the word is become a word of use in the House, the rowling out of officers."

language hat by email says:

Ah, memories! It seems to be this roll (OED):

2. transitive. To write (a name) on a list or register; to enrol. In quot. c1440: to acknowledge (a person) to be something.
c1440 (▸?a1400) Morte Arthure 2641 (MED) My name es sir Gawayne..Cosyn to þe conquerour..And rollede the richeste of all þe rounde table!
a1450 (▸1408) tr. Vegetius De Re Militari (Douce) f. 24v (MED) Newe werryours oweþ to ben tauȝt..how þey schulde in tyme of werre sette her scheltrun in ordinaunce and aftir þe ordre þat þay ben rolled.
a1500 (▸c1425) Andrew of Wyntoun Oryg. Cron. Scotl. (Nero) viii. l. 6179 Off archeris þar assemblit weyr Twenty thoussande, þat rollit war.
1545 in J. H. Burton Reg. Privy Council Scotl. (1877) 1st Ser. I. 16 To pas to Lauder.., and ressave the saidis musteris..and to roll thair names.
1651 Bp. J. Taylor Serm. for Year (1678) i. 138 None of you all..ever entered into this house of Pleasure, but he..had his name roll'd in the chamber of Death.
a1658 J. Durham Blessedness of Death (1713) 14 How to get themselves rolled on the everlasting covenant for salvation.
1751 H. Brooke To Mem. Col. Henry Clements in R. Dodsley Coll. Poems (ed. 3) II. 134 Snatch forth my name, and roll it with the brave.
1790 A. Wilson Poems 174 And roll in the records of Fame, Thy bosom foe a—Louse.

San Diego Sarah  •  Link

Feb. 18. 1668
Warrant to pay to Lord Hinchinbrooke 5,000l,
for the entertainment of the Earl of Sandwich,
Ambassador Extraordinary to the Catholic King,
and for other expenses in that embassy.
[Docquet, Vol. 23, No. 191]

That's almost an insult, but I suppose something is better than nothing.

'Charles II: February 1668', in Calendar of State Papers Domestic: Charles II, 1667-8, ed. Mary Anne Everett Green (London, 1893), pp. 204-261. British History Online
http://www.british-history.ac.uk/…

San Diego Sarah  •  Link

Happy Anniversary to the Mitchells: Michael Mitchell married Betty Howlett 19 February, 1666. It's been wild ride for them, and I hope to hear they have a healthy baby soon.

Stephane Chenard  •  Link

£5,000 doesn't seem so shabby for an embassy, especially as Sandwich is about done and to be recalled; and he's a star in Spain and the Portugall, probably hardly ever has to pay for a drink.

The State Papers today (https://play.google.com/books/rea…) also have a good one at No. 191:

-- Feb. 18: Warrants to pay to Sir Denis Gauden, victualler of the Navy, 28,000L for providing sea victuals for 5,000 men for 6 months; also 15,734L for sea victuals for 6 months, for fleets to be set out for the winter guard, the Straits and West Indies; also 55,300L for victuals for 9,875 men, to be employed on 50 of his Majesty's ships.

So, that gives us the victualling budget (£99,034, nearly half the £200k labeled "Navy" in the budget that will be agreed a month from now and is listed at https://play.google.com/books/rea…); the daily cost per man (£0.03, or 0.6s., or 7.2 pence, or 1/13th of what Sam splurged on his French-style lunch today, and even 1/26th on two meals/day); and the size of the naval force (about 18,000 men if we count right and if the officers don't eat all the budget).

Stephane Chenard  •  Link

Incidentally and just for its crustiness we note also this report (at No. 211), of a French vessel raided by Ostenders, who "stripped the French passengers of their clothes, so that they were constrained to borrow some old sea clothes to cover their nakedness". So that's definitely an Ostender tactic, and they don't mean just give me your hat and your boots. In mid-February, brrr. Ironically, at No. 213 Capt. Taylor relates "the pitiful condition of the Spanish soldiers in Ostend, for lack of clothes, &c." Ah, the wily Ostenders.

Alev Öncül  •  Link

Sam, when you don't look around, people can still see you. This looks like a toddler's covering his face with his hands and supposing he's invisible.

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