Todd Bernhardt

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Todd Bernhardt has posted 946 annotations/comments since 8 January 2003.

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First Reading

About Sunday 12 February 1664/65

Todd Bernhardt  •  Link

"…and afterward I found by his face that he had been a Paul’s scholler…"

DFF, I think he meant that he recognized the man from school, but didn't remember his name.

About Saturday 4 February 1664/65

Todd Bernhardt  •  Link

Plus, it's protection at a bargain -- remember, in terms of salary, Jane (or any of the servants, for that matter) wasn't paid very much at all. A good portion of their recompense was in room and board, and she's losing that by being put out of the house.

About Monday 30 January 1664/65

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It seems as if this day's entry was written both in real time (up to the "God preserve us this night safe!" sentence), and then after the fact. The tension Sam feels is almost palpable.

Am I understanding it correctly in thinking that Mercer came to him at about midnight, and then our mighty Clerk of the Acts was paralyzed with fear for two hours, finally coming home at 2 a.m.? Lord knows what could have happened to Elizabeth and the rest of his "family" during those two hours...

About Monday 23 January 1664/65

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Cape, I agree on both counts (your speculation about Sam's Francaise, and the benefits of this forum's format). Bryan, Jeannine, Aussie Sue, Pedro ... good stuff. Gotta love this site.

About Monday 23 January 1664/65

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The bane of inbreeding, perhaps, Martha?

I had another question: Looking at the description of Sam's dalliance with Mrs. Bagwell at "a cabaret where she and I have eat before," I was reminded of all the other "public" places where he's done similar dirty deeds. It then occurred to me that Sam can't be the only one getting his jollies at these establishments. But presumably they were indeed public places, so what gives? How was this possible?

About Saturday 21 January 1664/65

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Robert, for what it's worth, it sounds to me as if Sam's problem with Povey really has to do with the fact that Povey's just really bad at keeping accounts, which is a huge part of his job. Sam simply has no patience for incompetent people -- witness his opinion of Mennes, an educated and accomplished man who was also out of his depths when it came to bookkeeping. I just haven't seen any evidence so far that it's a matter of scruples, or that Povey's incompetence is inadvertently shining a bright light on any "side deals."

(small spoiler) As Tomalin points out in her biography, Sam will "punish" Povey for this incompetence by later fleecing him of profits they should have earned together on some of these side deals (if I remember correctly) ... one more instance of Sam taking advantage of someone he doesn't consider his equal in a specific area. It's pretty clear that if Sam took a Myers-Briggs test, he'd be a pretty solid "J"...

About Friday 20 January 1664/65

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"I hope the guy not a total loser."

It's not easy being married to a musician. Just ask my wife.

"We should (as Paul says) follow Phil Gyford’s lead here, if we know what it is."

Phil, who is normally a very light-handed and benevolent editor, is not shy about letting us know when we've strayed too far off the path. Mr. Gunwale is the annotator formerly known as "Capt.Petrus.S.Dorpmans"

About Friday 13 January 1664/65

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Maybe it's because it no longer matters, given that he's also being courted, by Lord Bellasses? The lust for power overcoming the lust for belle asses, perhaps?

(I'll get my coat...)

About Monday 9 January 1664/65

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All I know is, given his actions last time Sam crowed about "a brave frost," the woman who broke her thigh should be happy he didn't stop to "help"!

About Monday 2 January 1664/65

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How ironic that Elizabeth leaves a letter from Sir Philip about a husband's jealousy -- thus chiding Sam for the sin of his jealousy regarding her -- on a day when *he's* been playing the dog so freely and she should be the jealous one! You can't make stuff like this up ... or, if you did, you'd be chided by the critics for over-engineering your plot.

As for the dog, strange -- perhaps Sam was jealous because Elizabeth was watching and probably talking about it with the others, including some men...?

"Talk about impudence!"

You said it, LH. All I can say is, when Sam's had a good walk in a "most fine, hard frost," watch out ladies!

About Saturday 31 December 1664

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"I believe I was the first proper wisher of it this year, for I did it as soon as ever the clock struck one"

So the new year started for them at 1 a.m. rather than midnight? Interesting.

"Among others, I found these two or three notes, which I thought fit to keep."

Did these notes make it? I wonder...

As the fifth year of the Diary draws to a close, I'd like to send my best wishes to Phil and the rest of my Pepys, to thank you for the past and look forward to the future -- halfway through, and lots of great stuff to look forward to. Can't ask for much more than that, eh? Cheers, all!

About Friday 30 December 1664

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"which I am willing enough to, though I seem the contrary"

I think it's probably a matter of Sam wanting to keep control over Elizabeth, the house, his diet, etc. Easier to do, after all, if she's a homebody.

But what is Elizabeth up to? Oh, the games couples play...

About Wednesday 28 December 1664

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Poor Sam ... doesn't even have a pot to piss in.

He and Elizabeth are certainly living separate lives lately, aren't they? But "without any great satisfaction to myself therein" ... Sam is no doubt (I hope) embarrassed by his actions, and I'm sure Elizabeth's friends don't exactly approve.

Something tells me that the black eye has been a defining point in their relationship. In a twisted kind of way, this is a good thing, because it shows that such violence is not an everyday occurrence between them.

About Thursday 1 December 1664

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Yet it speaks volumes, you know? I know I've had plenty of nose-to-the-grindstone days like this ... it seems that at least things went right, otherwise he would have vented to the Diary about any problems (Batten, Minnes, etc.) that he encountered...