Nate Lockwood

Annotations and comments

Nate Lockwood has posted 92 annotations/comments since 10 April 2013.

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Third Reading

About Monday 28 October 1661

Nate Lockwood  •  Link

I believe that "in men's clothes" implies the fashion that men's fashion includes a kind of coat that ended at the knee with the leg from the knee down in a tight fitting stocking. Woman's legs were hidden as their skirts went nearly to the floor.

I hesitate to include a soon to be broken link but here it is: https://fashionhistory.fitnyc.edu…

About Thursday 24 October 1661

Nate Lockwood  •  Link

The anchor cable is a 'rope' of special construction, large diameter, and expensive. I think that one of the most arduous tasks for the crew on the large sailing ships was to weigh anchor. It used many of the crew on the anchor windlass going round and round perhaps on two decks and is slow hard work as this is pulling the ship toward the anchor.

One needs a long anchor cable. When I sailed briefly on merchant ships in the late 1950's and later in the US Navy the rule of thumb was to let out 7 times the depth of the water in anchor chain for one anchor. It's the weight of the chain or cable and the friction over the bottom that anchors the ship; the anchor digs in and 'anchors' the end.

About Monday 23 September 1661

Nate Lockwood  •  Link

"... of all the nights that ever I slept in my life I never did pass a night with more epicurism of sleep;"

Pepys's statement reminds me of a series of books about life in the 1800s in the United States, (I cannot remember the main title) one decade to a book. In one of them is a quote from a contemporary of the time remarking that he had never ever slept alone until the night that his wife gave birth. That appeared wondrously strange to me at the time. I expect not so strange for those in the 17 century British Isles.

About Sunday 1 September 1661

Nate Lockwood  •  Link

Holmes must trust Pepys not to repeat his confession that he is adept at being two-faced and to alert Pepys not to take at face value rumors about Holmes that Pepys might subsequently hear.

About Monday 19 August 1661

Nate Lockwood  •  Link

Except for the outings do you think that the children were bored to tears? I don't recall Sam mentioning song, music, or games one might play with children. They were away from their familiar beds, servants, and Mom.,

About Sunday 18 August 1661

Nate Lockwood  •  Link

It appears that the commentators assume that the captive cassowaries were taken as adults but I think it more likely that they were more safely taken and transpored as chicks.

About Thursday 15 August 1661

Nate Lockwood  •  Link

Regarding the link between milkmaids, cowpox, and small pox; that may have been Europe's discovery but the Chinese figured out a form of smallpox inoculation independently and it was also known in Africa. I believe that Edward Jenner may have learned about inoculation from his African slave or servant.

About Wednesday 7 August 1661

Nate Lockwood  •  Link

"The Most Catholic Majesty was the King of Spain.
The Most Christian Majesty was the King of France."

In this instance does "most Catholic" refer to the Catholic Church". Or does it translate to something like 'Universal'.
It is capitalized so Catholic as in Catholic Church is the likely use. Or is this a competition for the most impressive honorific? What does 'Most Catholic' mean?

About Monday 29 July 1661

Nate Lockwood  •  Link

It's not the anchor, weighing a couple of tons in the 17th century, that holds the ship in place so much as the large diameter and heavy hawser (rope). The anchor 'anchors' the end to prevent it from slipping on the harbor bottom since its flukes will dig in. Weighing anchor on a ship of the line required considerable crew at the capstan located midships, perhaps on two decks. The seven to one ratio is still used, I believe.

About Tuesday 23 July 1661

Nate Lockwood  •  Link

"Troubled to hear how proud and idle Pall is grown, that I am resolved not to keep her."

Sam is working and not home most days so not aware that Pall's behavior is tailored to his presence. In my mind's eye I cannot see that another servant would tattle unless quite resentful so that would leave Elisabeth as the source.

About Thursday 23 May 1661

Nate Lockwood  •  Link

Me, too, LKvM, same year same geography. But I had been subscribed to Scientific American magazine since high school. Their article was amazing to me and convincing. Later the Atlantic Ridge was found and the die-hards gave up.

I would have liked to have been able to ask what Mr. Moore's arguements were.

About Sunday 19 February 1659/60

Nate Lockwood  •  Link

What was the attire for venturing out into rainy weather in those days? Surly not the umbrella, but a (hooded?) woolen cloak or a hoodless cloak and, I assume a wide brimmed, hat?

Would the cloak be made from wool with the natural oils retained for water repellence?

About Saturday 11 February 1659/60

Nate Lockwood  •  Link

"... and so we went to the Star Tavern (Monk being then at Benson’s), where we dined and I wrote a letter to my Lord from thence"

D. Menchaca (first reading) may have been correct that mail went out from taverns - else where does Samuel obtain paper, ink and a pen unless he carries his writing supplies with him? Not in his pocket. Pocket, which derives from 'pouch' would have been a pouch secured under his outer clothes. An image flashed by my brain (just finished my morning draught of coffee) of Samuel carrying the briefcase of the times, a bowler, and umbrella as he meanders around the City.

About Tuesday 7 February 1659/60

Nate Lockwood  •  Link

'Writing in character' by Mary, Queen of Scots, was mentioned in 'Nature Briefing' today, a daily missive from Nature Magazine; this one with a link to Gizmodo. It shows some of the substitutions.

Nature said: "Three scientists have decrypted 57 letters by Mary, Queen of Scots, written in cipher in the years before she was executed in 1587 for plotting to assassinate Queen Elizabeth I of England. "

(I was disappointed that there was no mention of letters written in the years after her execution ....)

https://gizmodo.com/coded-letters…

Second Reading

About Thursday 9 July 1668

Nate Lockwood  •  Link

re: John Powell to Willliamson letter
"The very tempestuous weather sets the country in fear of a bad harvest, as likely to prove prejudicial to the corn; ..."

"Corn" does not refer to "Maize" which we Yanks call corn; is that correct?