Todd Bernhardt

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

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First Reading

About Monday 1 June 1663

Todd Bernhardt  •  Link

"Begun again to rise betimes by 4 o’clock"

Another indication of what Sam considers "betimes" (though I'd thought 5:00 was betimes, and 4:00 "very betimes").

About Monday 1 June 1663

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"Blessed be God, my head and hands are clear, and therefore my sleep safe."

If only the one could always ensure the other...

About Sunday 31 May 1663

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Nice summation, Bryan M! (I particularly like "P-P-PEMBLETON!")

Perhaps you should contribute to "The story so far" section? :-)

About Saturday 30 May 1663

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re: whey

Mary, nutritionally, they were on the right track here -- whey is particularly rich in calcium, among other things. (It's also low-fat, and has a good bit of protein ... though, given his meat consumption, Sam certainly didn't need more protein in his diet!)

About Saturday 30 May 1663

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"but I perceive the lawyers come all in as they go to the Hall, and I believe it is very good."

Huh? You lost me, Sam. Anyone care to help with this seeming non-sequitur?

About Sunday 24 May 1663

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Jeannine, I'm sure Sam didn't leer -- he probably was very discrete as he checked out the new hottie at church. Elizabeth, on the other hand, curtsies out loud to Mr. Pembleton without so much as an excuse to her hubby ... what a brazen hussy!

On a more serious note, seems as if Susan's been getting into the cooking wine (or ale, anyway) a bit, and it's gotten the best of her. Wonder who taught her to drink?

About Saturday 23 May 1663

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"But what varnish would? And for what purpose would one varnish paper made to receive ink?"

Bradford, I thought that perhaps Sam wanted to see if the varnish would seal the page *after* he'd written on it, and was testing it ... but it failed. (Modern printers will often varnish entire pages of publications, or even sections of the page -- such as images -- to make them shine and "pop.")

About Thursday 21 May 1663

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"So that I fear without great discretion I shall go near to lose too my command over her, and nothing do it more than giving her this occasion of dancing and other pleasures, whereby her mind is taken up from her business and finds other sweets besides pleasing of me, and so makes her that she begins not at all to take pleasure in me or study to please me as heretofore."

Ah, at last we see the marital arrangement and expectations -- at least from Sam's point of view -- spelled out. I need to speak to my wife about this... ;-)

And how about this:
"This day Susan that lived with me lately being out of service, and I doubt a simple wench, my wife do take her for a little time to try her at least till she goes into the country, which I am yet doubtful whether it will be best for me to send her or no, for fear of her running off in her liberty before I have brought her to her right temper again."

He's talking about Elizabeth here, correct? He's afraid to send her into the country, and give her her freedom, unless he's had proper opportunity to teach her "her place" first...

About Tuesday 5 May 1663

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"wherein he failed most fatally to the King’s ruin"

Could someone explain this a bit? I don't see information in the background of Sir John to back up his claim that he "had the whole management of the fleet, and the design of putting out of my Lord Warwick, and carrying the fleet to the King"...

About Monday 4 May 1663

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re: So though it be against my stomach yet I will try it a little while

So, Terry, L&M start the phrase with an em dash and end it with a period rather than a semi-colon? ("being made heir to the Crown -- but this my Lord did not tell me, but is my guess only.") That would seem to get rid of the ambiguity involved (i.e., it would refer to the King and Duke).

About Monday 4 May 1663

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"But this my Lord did not tell me, but is my guess only"

Does this refer to the sentence above (about all not being well between the King and Duke) or after (about the Lord Chancellor)?

A full day today. Interesting to see how he rationalizes the dancing lessons (oh, for a crystal ball, Sam!), and he also gives us a glimpse into the nature of his oaths.

About Friday 1 May 1663

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re: “as not only made them but myself to weep”

LH and Mary, I see your point here. I didn't think that Sam crying wasn't a possibility; I just didn't read the "not only ... but" combination correctly. Thanks!

About Sunday 3 May 1663

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re: "now that Beth is actually verbalising her fealings of jealousy to Sam"

Miss Ann, Sam describes Elizabeth's reproaches, "by which I find *I think* [emphasis mine] she is jealous of my freedom with Ashwell," but I don't think Elizabeth is saying anything outright ... yet.

Mr. Hamilton, I think you're on the money again. Sam comes home from church with "grass is always greener" feelings to a wife who hasn't bothered to get dressed, and who dresses him down later for his familiarity her companion, and this influences the tone of this entry.

This is one of those instances where hindsight makes things fairly clear ... I wonder how Sam felt about this as he re-read it decades later.

About Friday 1 May 1663

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re: “Three grown up men shedding tears!”

Sam says, "as not only made them but myself to weep"* -- I view the "but myself" to mean Sam *didn't* shed tears. So, as celtcahill mentions, Sam's playing the role of stern oldest son. As far as Sam's motivations go, I think Mr. Hamilton has it spot-on.

* I took out the comma, which was added by editors anyway (like all punctuation in the Diary) and which I believe is incorrectly placed in this instance.

About Thursday 30 April 1663

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City life Stankes!

Yesterday: "But it is very pleasant to hear how he rails at the rumbling and ado that is in London over it is in the country, that he cannot endure it"

Today: "but, Lord! what a stir Stankes makes with his being crowded in the streets and wearied in walking in London"

Guess the country-bumpkin bit gets old fast, as far as Our Boy is concerned...

About Wednesday 29 April 1663

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And how about *this* doozy? Can anyone help me with this?

"And here, speaking of the Duke of York and Sir Charles Barkeley, my Lord tells me that he do very much admire the good management, and discretion, and nobleness of the Duke, that whatever he may be led by him or Mr. Coventry singly in private, yet he did not observe that in publique matters, but he did give as ready hearing and as good acceptance to any reasons offered by any other man against the opinions of them, as he did to them, and would concur in the prosecution of it."

About Sunday 19 April 1663

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Oh, the temptation to come up with multiple jokes about Ashwell and her fine carriage is almost too strong, but given that it's Easter in Sam's world I'll show more respect than he did (I'll endeavor to stay awake, anyway) and resist.