David
Annotations and comments
David has posted 20 annotations/comments since 12 October 2018.
The most recent first…
Daily entries from the 17th century London diary
David has posted 20 annotations/comments since 12 October 2018.
The most recent first…
Comments
Third Reading
About Tuesday 22 January 1660/61
David • Link
'' bought some glasses" I think these might have been mirrors to complete the decoration of their newly painted home.
About Thursday 10 January 1660/61
David • Link
To enlarge on JWB's post of 11th Jan 2004 the human head is about one eighth of the total height so the gigantic woman's head would have been about 10 inches top to bottom, say her outstretched arms were about four inches in diameter at the shoulder then Sam would have to have been roughly five foot seven inches tall (or maybe a bit less) to stand beneath her. that is my rough calculation.
About Thursday 23 August 1660
David • Link
I think SP's morning draft was usually (but not always) alcohol of some sort, he did sometimes take it at home but more often in a pub, he rarely specified what it was but there were times later on when it was spirts.
He rarely mentioned breaking his fast except when he was traveling when he frequently noted it.
About Thursday 5 July 1660
David • Link
Poor SP confined for the morning in White Hall because of the rain. What he needed was a decent golf umbrella but although parasols/umbrellas were known to antiquity it seems they did not become common in England until the 18th century. I wonder why it took so long? they could not have been that difficult to make and given the amount of precipitation in London could have been in regular use. Quite an opportunity for an astute entrepreneur!
About Monday 30 April 1660
David • Link
Pepys' drunken behaviour. He had form, in 1653 he was publicly admonished by the Cambridge university authorities for having been "scandalously overseene in drink"
About Monday 30 April 1660
David • Link
Interesting to see that John Creed has managed to worm his way back into the action, I wonder if he has finally managed to secure a cabin somewhere or if he is just there to pick up the last mail for London before the ships leave to cross the channel?
Either way I don't think Sam would have appreciated losing five bob to his nemesis!
About Tuesday 27 March 1660
David • Link
This is my third time around and I am still learning new things every day. Thank you so much to Phil and all the annotators.
About Tuesday 27 March 1660
David • Link
That is a lovely picture MartinVT, says a thousand words doesn't it?
About Saturday 10 March 1659/60
David • Link
I think we are seeing the beginning of the longstanding love-hate relationship between Sam and John Creed
About Thursday 2 February 1659/60
David • Link
Selling of a horse puzzled me too and a few years ago I saw it again in a book called Somme Mud by an Australian soldier called E. P. F. Lynch who fought there and survived.
(p 47) "Day breaks wet again and as we wait to move off for the front line, a few waterproof capes are issued. We get around in circles and 'sell a horse' to see who gets each cape"
I asked about it in a forum I frequent and was told 'a horse' was a game played in naval wardrooms to see who would pay for a bottle of wine. It involved someone selecting a number at random between 1 - 99, the next person would make a guess and be told if the answer was higher or lower, so it went around the table until the loser got the right number and had to pay for the wine.
So it seems Pepys' game still exists on some form or another.
About Wednesday 11 January 1659/60
David • Link
Will's. These early references to Will's are to Will's Ale House which was in Old Palace Yard. Pepys was a frequent flyer there but his references to it stopped in early 1661 perhaps because of his move from Axe Yard to Seething Lane.
Later on he discovered Will's Coffee House in Covent garden and became a regular there from 1664 onwards.
Second Reading
About Tuesday 20 April 1669
David • Link
"give us a sight of her performance"
"she carried the same bullet as strong to the mark"
I have never heard of a gun to be referred to as female, if it was to be assigned a sex I would have thought male might be more appropriate but come to think of it I have never heard that either.
About Wednesday 15 May 1667
David • Link
Interesting that Elizabeth draws attention to Mrs Smith's hands, it is not the first time he comments on peoples' hands - 22 Apr 1663 ..."the very sight of my aunt's hands and greasy manner of carving, did almost turn my stomach..." and there are several other instances.
In a few month's time he sought Mrs Smith out at the exchange and kissed her pretty hand. (21st Sep 67)
Was this fetish his alone or was it a societal thing?
About Saturday 11 May 1667
David • Link
I think he was just threatening her. On the rare occasions he has hit her and certain servants in the past he has told us about it.
About Tuesday 30 April 1667
David • Link
I had always assumed that Sam's stone case was made of wood and glass as are specimens in anatomical museums, is there an entry somewhere in which he says it was leather?
About Saturday 30 December 1665
David • Link
I thought the pound sign came from Latin Libra Pondo, a basic Roman measure of weight = approx 350 gms. of silver.
About Friday 29 December 1665
David • Link
At times like this recourse to his diary must have been very helpful.
About Sunday 29 October 1665
David • Link
I wonder if he took his wig off when he got home?
About Sunday 22 October 1665
David • Link
Another Pepys use of clap. 7 Oct 1660. "that he that do get a wench with child and marry her afterwards is as if a man should shit in his hat and then clap it on his head."
About Wednesday 11 October 1665
David • Link
An interesting entry. Sam rarely mentions breakfast, when he does it is usually when he is traveling, otherwise he usually starts his day with a morning draft. This deal with Mrs. Clerke would seem to indicate that bread and butter every morning is the norm. Maybe it is so mundane that he just doesn't think to mention it.