The Diary by Samuel Pepys (children's ebooks online TXT) π
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Pepysβ Diary is an incredibly frank decade-long snapshot of the life of an up and coming naval administrator in mid-17th century London. In it he describes everything from battles against the Dutch and the intrigues of court, down to the plays he saw, his marital infidelities, and the quality of the meat provided for his supper. His observations have proved invaluable in establishing an accurate record of the daily life of the people of London of that period.
Pepys eventually stopped writing his diary due to progressively worse eyesight, a condition he feared. He did consider employing an amanuensis to transcribe future entries for him, but worried that the content he wanted written would be too personal. Luckily for Pepys, his eyesight difficulties never progressed to blindness and he was able to go on to become both a Member of Parliament and the President of the Royal Society.
After Pepysβ death he left his large library of books and manuscripts first to his nephew, which was then passed on to Magdalene College, Cambridge, where it survives to this day. The diary, originally written in a shorthand, was included in this trove and was eventually deciphered in the early 19th century, and published by Lord Baybrooke in 1825. This early release censored large amounts of the text, and it was only in the 1970s that an uncensored version was published. Presented here is the 1893 edition, which restores the majority of the originally censored content but omits βa few passages which cannot possibly be printed.β The rich collection of endnotes serve to further illustrate the lives of the people Pepys meets and the state of Englandβs internal politics and international relations at the time.
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- Author: Samuel Pepys
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William Fielding, writing to Sir Phil. Musgrave from Carlisle on November 15th, says: βMajor Baxter, who has arrived from Dumfries, reports that this morning a great number of horse and foot came into that town, with drawn swords and pistols, gallopped up to Sir Jas. Turnerβs lodgings, seized him in his bed, carried him without clothes to the marketplace, threatened to cut him to pieces, and seized and put into the Tollbooth all the foot soldiers that were with him; they also secured the minister of Dumfries. Many of the party were lairds and county people from Gallowayβ β200 horse well mounted, one minister was with them who had swords and pistols, and 200 or 300 foot, some with clubs, others with scythes.β On November 17th Rob. Meine wrote to Williamson: βOn the 15th 120 fanatics from the Glenkins, Deray; and neighbouring parishes in Dumfriesshire, none worth Β£10 except two mad fellows, the lairds of Barscob and Corsuck, came to Dumfries early in the morning, seized Sir Jas. Turner, commander of a company of men in Dumfriesshire, and carried him, without violence to others, to a strong house in Maxwell town, Galloway, declaring they sought only revenge against the tyrant who had been severe with them for not keeping to church, and had laid their families wasteβ (Calendar of State Papers, 1666β ββ 67, pp. 262, 268). β©
βA Map or Ground Plott of the Citty of London, with the Suburbes thereof, so far as the Lord Mayorβs jurisdiction doeth extend; by which is exactly demonstrated the present condition since the last sad accident by fire; the blanke space signifying the burnt part, and where the houses be, those places yet standing. ββ W. Hollar, f. 1666. Cum Privilegio Regis.β ββ B. β©
Hollar engraved, in 1675, A new Map the Citties of London, Westminster, and ye Borough of Southwarke, with their Suburbs; showing the streets, lanes, alleys, courts, etc., with other remarks, as they are now truely and carefully delineated; and the prospect of London, as it was flourishing before the destruction by fire. Sold by Robert Greene at ye Rose and Crown in Budg Row and Robert Morden at ye Atlas in Cornhill. A large sheet, 23ΒΌ in. by 17Β½ in. In the Pepysian Library is a βProspect of London and Westminster, taken at several stations to the southward thereof, by Robert Morden and Phil. Lea,β in eight sheets, 1677. This map was the result of a survey by William Morgan. β©
Gomboutβs Plan of Paris, on a very large scale, was engraved in 1642. It is of great rarity. A copy, which was in the possession of the Baron Walckenaer, was purchased for a royal personage, at his sale at Paris, in April, 1853, Lot 3028, for more than 1,000 francs. ββ B. β©
It is possible that some tradition of this proceeding of Louis XIV may have given to Steele the hint for his story of the rival ladies, Brunetta and Phillis, in the Spectator, No. 80; a subject which has been well treated by Stothard: as also in a clever picture by Mr. A. Solomon, exhibited at the Royal Academy in the year 1853. ββ B. β©
PlanchΓ© throws some doubt on this story in his CyclopΓ¦dia of Costume (vol. ii, p. 240), and asks the question, βWas Mr. Batelier hoaxing the inquisitive secretary, or was it the idle gossip of the day, as untrustworthy as such gossip is in general?β But the same statement was made by the author of the Character of a Trimmer, who wrote from actual knowledge of the Court: βAbout this time a general humour, in opposition to France, had made us throw off their fashion, and put on vests, that we might look more like a distinct people, and not be under the servility of imitation, which ever pays a greater deference to the original than is consistent with the equality all independent nations should pretend to. France did not like this small beginning of ill humours, at least of emulation; and wisely considering, that it is a natural introduction, first to make the world their apes, that they may be afterwards their slaves. It was thought, that one of the instructions Madame [Henrietta, Duchess of Orleans] brought along with her, was to laugh us out of these vests; which she performed so effectually, that in a moment, like so many footmen who had quitted their masterβs livery, we all took it again, and returned to our old service; so that the very time of doing it gave a very critical advantage to France, since it looked like an evidence of our returning to her interest, as well as to their fashion.β The Character of a Trimmer (Miscellanies by the Marquis of Halifax, 1704, p. 164). Evelyn reports that when the king expressed his intention never to alter this fashion, βdiverse courtiers and gentlemen gave his Majesty gold by way of wager that he would not persist in this resolutionβ (Diary, October 18th, 1666). β©
Sir Richard Fanshawe. See note 573. β©
Captain of the Lyon. He was a distinguished sea-officer, and brother of Sir Robert Jennings, of Ripon. He attended James II after his abdication, and served as a captain in the French navy (see Charnockβs Biographia Navalis, vol. i, p. 106). β©
Richard Le Neve, lieutenant of the Lyon. He was made captain of the PhΕnix in 1671, of the Plymouth in 1672, and of the Edgar in 1673. He was killed in the engagement with the Dutch on August 11th, 1673, and was buried in Westminster Abbey, where there is a monument to his
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