Re: ‘ . . finding so many absent men, or dead pays.’
‘dead pay, n. < Compare French morte-paye. . . 2. Pay continued in the name of a soldier or sailor actually dead or discharged, and appropriated by the officer; a person in whose name such pay is drawn. . . 1663 S. Pepys Diary 13 Oct. (1971) IV. 334 The King..mustering the guards the other day himself; where he found reason to dislike their condition..finding so many absent men or dead pays . . ’
……. Re: ‘ . . she answered, “Zounds! she must set the house on fire but it should be roasted!” . . ’
‘zounds, int. A euphemistic abbreviation of by God's wounds used in oaths and asseverations. . . a1616 Shakespeare King John (1623) ii. i. 467 Zounds, I was neuer so bethumpt with words. . . 1699 G. Farquhar Love & Bottle ii. ii. 16 Zoons is only us'd by the disbanded Officers and Bullies: but Zauns is the Beaux pronuncation [sic] . . ‘
Re: ‘ . . there cheapened some laces for my wife . . ‘
'cheapen, v. < Germanic . . 1. a. trans. To bargain for, ask the price of, bid for, offer a price for; = cheap v. 3. Also fig. arch. or dial. . . 1710 Swift in Swift & R. Steele Tatler No. 238 To Shops in Crowds the daggled Females fly, Pretend to cheapen Goods, but nothing buy . . ‘ (OED)
Re: ’ . . the effect of my electuary last night . . ’
‘electuary, n. < . . ἐκλείχειν to lick out. 1. a. A medicinal conserve or paste, consisting of a powder or other ingredient mixed with honey, preserve, or syrup of some kind. . . 1636 D. Featley Clavis Mystica xii. 148 Many simples goe to the making of a soveraigne Electuary. 1751 R. Brookes Gen. Pract. Physic II. 454 The antiscorbutic Electary..is very efficacious in this Disease . . ‘ (OED)
Re: ‘ . . I could neither have a natural stool nor break wind . . ’
‘stool, n. < Common Germanic; . . 5. c. The action of evacuating the bowels; an act of discharging fæces. by stool: by fæcal as distinguished from other means of evacuation. . . 1663 S. Pepys Diary 24 May (1971) IV. 153 Having taken one of Mr. Holliards pills last night, it brought a stool or two this morning . . ‘
The local smith had made a bracket to hold the bell, to be fixed (nailed) to a timber hoist in the lath and plaster wall. In the days before handy men and DIY it naturally fell to him to do the nailing.
No doubt SP could have done this for himself but it would have been infra dig for him as a gentleman to have done so; this would have become a piece of common gossip in the servant network, something he was at pains to avoid as it would lead to a loss of social distance and respect, even to ridicule.
Re: my wife, who is over head and eares in getting her house up,
‘head, n.1 < Germanic . . . . P3. In collocation with another noun . . e. (a) over head and ears: (so as to be) completely immersed; (fig.) (so as to be) deeply immersed or involved in something .. . . . 1663 S. Pepys Diary 2 Oct. (1971) IV. 322 My wife, who is over head and ears in getting her house up . . ‘ (OED)
Re: ‘ . . I am not satisfied with the method used in this thing. . . ’
It was probably a candle auction, the usual method at this date:
‘ . . It has been the custom in some places to set up an inch of lighted candle, the last bidder before the wick falls becoming purchaser of the property . . 1673 A. Marvell Rehearsal Transpros'd ii. 234 As in an Auction, to be sold by Inch of Candle. . . 1728 E. Chambers Cycl. (at cited word), There is also a kind of Excommunication by Inch of Candle; wherein, the Time a lighted Candle continues burning, is allow'd the Sinner to come to Repentance, but after which, he remains excommunicated to all Intents and Purposes. . .1797 E. Burke Lett. Peace Regic. France iv, in Wks. IX. 84 Where British faith and honour are to be sold by inch of candle‘. (OED)
Re: ‘ . . where it of a sudden did lighten, thunder, and rain . . ’
‘lighten, v.2 . . . . 6. To flash lightning, to emit flashes of lightning. Chiefly impers. . . 1611 Bible (King James) Luke xvii. 24 As the lightning that lighteneth out of the one part vnder heauen, shineth vnto the other part vnder heauen. . . 1725 D. Defoe New Voy. round World ii. 200 Two of the Men..cried out, it lightened; one said, he saw the Flash . . ‘ (OED)
‘gnat, n.1< Old English gnæt(t strong masculine, cognate with German dialect gnatze weak feminine. 1.a. A small two-winged fly of the genus Culex, esp. Culex pipiens, the female of which has a sharp pointed proboscis, by means of which it punctures the skins of animals and sucks their blood. In the United States: the common mosquito, Culex mosquito . . 1617 S. Hieron Penance for Sinne in Wks. (1620) II. 75 Let not our sermons be as the spiders web, thorow which doe breake the greater flies, while onely the lesser gnats are taken.
. . 2. Applied to other insects resembling this; (U.S.) a small stinging fly of the genus Simulium. . . 1867 F. Francis Bk. Angling vi. 186 The Black Gnat..has been called ‘the fisherman's curse’.’ …….. ‘gnat's piss n. slang a very weak beverage; a drink of poor quality. 1959 I. Opie & P. Opie Lore & Lang. Schoolchildren ix. 164 Weak tea may be ‘gnat's piss’ . . ‘ …….. In Britain we also have the mighty midge:
‘midge, n.< Germanic . . Perhaps ultimately related to a number of forms in other Indo-European languages (showing various different extended forms of the same base), such as: ancient Greek μυῖα, classical Latin musca, Albanian mizë, all in sense ‘fly’. 1. a. A small insect resembling a gnat; (Entomol.) any of numerous insects of the dipteran families Chironomidae and Ceratopogonidae, which are commonly found in swarms near water or marshy areas. Midges of the family Ceratopogonidae are the ‘biting midges’; those of the family Chironomidae are the ‘non-biting midges’. . . 1658 J. Rowland tr. T. Moffett Theater of Insects in Topsell's Hist. Four-footed Beasts (rev. ed.) 953 These small Summer Gnats..are properly called in English Midges. 1668 W. Charleton Onomasticon Zoicon 43 Culices..Gnats, & si parvi sunt Midges . . ‘ (OED)
Re: ‘ . . they call the ‘Breedlings’ of the place . . ‘
ˈbreedling, n. One born and bred in a place; a native. 1663 S. Pepys Diary 18 Sept. (1971) IV. 311 Over most sad Fenns all the way observing the sad life that the people of that place (which if they be born there, they call the ‘Breedlings’ of the place) do live. [Taken by Macaulay for a proper name. See Hist. Eng. (1855) III. xi. 41.]’ (OED)
‘surrender, n. < Anglo-Norman surrender . . The action or an act of surrendering. 1. a. The giving up of an estate . . spec. the yielding up of a tenancy in a copyhold estate to the lord of the manor for a specified purpose . . . . 1590 W. West Συμβολαιογραϕία ii. §311. sig. DDiij, An Instrument of Surrender is an instrument testifiyng..that the particuler tenant of landes..doth..agree, that he which hath the next immediate remainder or reuersion thereof shall also haue the particuler estate of the same in possession. . . 1766 W. Blackstone Comm. Laws Eng. ii. 365 Surrender,..the yielding up of the estate by the tenant into the hands of the lord, for such purposes as in the surrender are expressed . . ‘ …………… ‘indifferent, adj. < French . . 6. b. Of medium or moderate extent, size, etc.; fairly large; tolerable. Obs. or arch.
1548 in W. Page Certificates Chantries County of York (1895) II. 482 Of good conversacion and qualities and indifferent lerenyng. 1580 J. Lyly Euphues & his Eng. (new ed.) f. 96, Indifferent welth to maintaine his family, expecting all thinges necessary, nothing superfluous. 1603 R. Johnson tr. G. Botero Hist. Descr. Worlde 77 Of sheepe they haue in some places indifferent store. 1697 W. Dampier New Voy. around World v. 96 Two little Islands, each about a mile round, of an indifferent heighth. 1707 tr. P. Le Lorrain de Vallemont Curiosities in Husbandry & Gardening 231, I discover'd them to be compos'd of much Mercury, of an indifferent Quantity of Sulphur, and a little less of fixt Salt. . . ‘ …………… Re: ’laura k on 24 Sep 2006 Fens is also a generic term for swamp or bog land. Thus the Irish revolutionary group, the Fenians . . ’
‘Fenian, n. and adj. < Old Irish féne ‘one of the names of the ancient population of Ireland’ (Windisch), confused in modern times with fíann feminine collect., the name of a body of warriors who are said to have been the defenders of Ireland in the time of Finn and other legendary Irish kings. 1. (See quot. 1879.) Obs. exc. Hist. . . 1879 Encycl. Brit. IX. 75/1 According to popular tradition the Fians, or Fenians were mercenary tribes acting as a permanent military force for the support of the Ard Rig, or king of Eire . . ………….. (OED)
Re: ’ . . reproached my uncle . . with taking use upon use for this money
‘use, n. < Anglo-Norman . . P17. use upon use: compound interest; (more generally) excessive interest. Also fig.
1605 J. Sylvester tr. G. de S. Du Bartas Deuine Weekes & Wks. i. iii. 91 You Citie-Vipers, that (incestuous) ioyne Vse vpon vse, begetting Coyne of Coyne. . . 1740 S. Richardson Pamela II. 389, I am become a mere Usurer; and want to make Use upon Use.’ (OED)
Re: ’ . . not sensible how they ought to treat my uncle and his son . .’
‘sensible, adj. and n. < French . . 11. a. Cognizant, conscious, aware of something. Often with some tinge of emotional sense: Cognizant of something as a ground for pleasure or regret . . . . 1662 J. Davies tr. A. Olearius Voy. & Trav. Ambassadors 200 The Birds, which were not yet sensible of the Cold,..continued their Chirping and Singing till near the middle of December. 1667 S. Pepys Diary 14 Feb. (1974) VIII. 62 Which shows how little we are sensible of the weight of the business upon us . . ‘
‘feign, v. < Latin . . . . 8. b. absol. To practise simulation. . . 1612 T. Taylor Αρχὴν Ἁπάντων: Comm. Epist. Paul to Titus i. 2 He seemeth to faine, by vttering things clean contrary to his mind. 1671 Milton Paradise Regain'd i. 474 It may stand him more in stead to..feign .
. . 9. b. intr. To pretend, make oneself appear. Const. to with inf. . . . . 1632 J. Hayward tr. G. F. Biondi Eromena 6 Fayning to goe recreate himselfe..gave order publikly. . . ‘
Sam made her keener by dangling the trip in front of her as a casual remark and then raising difficulties when she wanted to go and letting her win him over. Clever!
‘hanger, n.3 < hang v. Old English/Old Norse . . A kind of short sword, originally hung from the belt. . . 1530 J. Palsgrave Lesclarcissement 229/1 Hangre a weapen, bracquemart. . .1590 R. Harvey Plaine Percevall sig. D4, The sight of a Hanger rusted in the sheath hanging by ones side. . . 1719 D. Defoe Life Robinson Crusoe 263, I made him a Belt, with a Frog hanging to it, such as in England we wear Hangers in; and in the Frog, instead of a Hanger, I gave him a Hatchet . . ‘
Re: ’This morning . . knocked up in our back yard . .
‘to knock up < Late Old English . . 1. trans. To drive upwards, or fasten up, by knocking; spec. in Bookbinding . . ; in Bootmaking . . 1660 S. Pepys Diary 30 Jan. (1970) I. 33 Knocking up nails for my hats and cloaks.
2. intr. To be driven up so as to strike something. to knock up against, to come into collision with; fig. to meet with, come across, encounter.
3. trans. To make up (hastily or off-hand), to arrange summarily.
4. To put together hastily; = to knock together 3 at Phrasal verbs. Also, to prepare (food) quickly (U.S.).
5. To get or accumulate by labour or exertion; spec. in Cricket, to run up (a score), make (so many runs) by striking the ball. colloq.
6. To arouse by knocking at the door. (This sense is not current in the U.S.) 1663 S. Pepys Diary 11 Sept. (1971) IV. 304 This morning, about 2 or 3 a-clock, knocked up in our backyard..I find it was the Constable and his watch. . . 1973 National Observer (U.S.) 3 Feb. 7/1 Fielding's guide-book considerately explains that a male host may quite casually tell a female American house guest that he will ‘knock you up at 7:30 tomorrow morning’. The term, of course, conveys nothing more than a rapping at the door until one is awakened.
7. To overcome or make ill with fatigue; to exhaust, tire out. (Esp. in pass.)
8. intr. To become exhausted or tired out; to become unserviceable; to break down.
9. trans. To break up, destroy, put an end to.
10. To make (a woman) pregnant; (less commonly) to have sexual intercourse with (a woman). slang (orig. U.S.). . . 1836 D. Crockett Exploits & Adventures in Texas vii. 97 Nigger women are knocked down by the auctioneer, and knocked up by the purchaser . . '
We must wait to see what Our Hero does about Sandwich's affair.
PLEASE NO SPOILERS now or anytime! - let us live in SP's time a she did. ...................... Re: ’ . . a fine cupp turned out of Lignum Vitae . . ’
‘lignum vitae, n. < Latin = wood of life. 1. A tree; = guaiacum n. 1. Applied also to several other trees having wood of similar properties.
2. The wood of this tree; = guaiacum n. 2. . . 1660 S. Pepys Diary 21 Nov. (1970) I. 298 This morning my Cosen Tho. Pepys the Turner sent me a Cupp of Lignum vitæ for a token . . 1817 J. Adams Let. 5 June in Wks. (1856) X. 263 Mr. Adams was born and tempered a wedge of steel to split the knot of lignum vitæ, which tied North America to Great Britain . . ‘
‘guaiacum, n. < Spanish guayaco . . 1. A genus of trees and shrubs (N.O. Zygophyllaceæ), native to the West Indies and the warmer parts of America; . . . .1712 J. Browne tr. P. Pomet et al. Compl. Hist. Druggs I. 66 Guajacum..is a Tree the Size of a common Walnut Tree. 1792 M. Riddell Voy. Madeira 90 The guiacum, or lignum vitae, is found here. The bark is white and gummy, the leaves winged, the blossoms of a beautiful violet colour, and the berries are used as bitters.
2. The hard and heavy brownish-green wood of G. officinale and G. sanctum, used in medicine; lignum vitæ.
3. A resin obtained from the tree; also, the drug prepared from it . . . . 1663 R. Boyle Some Considerations Usefulnesse Exper. Nat. Philos. ii. App. 386 Some of our eminentist English Doctors..have not scrupled of late years to use the strong and fetid chymical oyles of Amber and Guajacum . . ‘ (OED) …………….. Re Montague’s conduct in 1659/60: see his entry in the Encyclopedia: http://www.pepysdiary.com/encyclo…. It has 5 entries for ‘Mountagu, Edward’ and 3 for ‘Mountagu, Sir Edward’ (note the spelling). ‘My Lord’ is the final entry.
DNB has ‘ . . His firm belief in strong rule, ideally of a single person, enabled him to make the transition from lingering adherence to Richard (whom he was still addressing as ‘your highness’ months after his fall) to a qualified support for the return of Charles II . . ‘.
Re: ’ . . I reckon nothing money but when it is in the bank . .’
‘bank, n.3 < Middle French banc moneylender's counter . .
I. A financial establishment. 1. a. The shop, office, or place of business of a money changer or moneylender . . . . 1649 Bp. J. Taylor Great Exemplar ii. 21 Exchangers of Money made the temple to be the market and the banke.
. . 2. a. An institution that invests money deposited by customers or subscribers, typically pays interest on deposits . . The sense in some of the early examples is unclear, and may be closer to that of sense 1a. . . 1601 G. de Malynes Treat. Canker Englands Commonw. ii. 23 Peter hath two thousand ducats in the Banke... Peter hath occasion to pay vnto Iohn one thousand ducats, he goeth to the Bankers..and requireth them to pay one thousand ducats vnto Iohn, whereupon they presently make Peter debter for one thousand ducats, and Iohn creditour for the same summe. 1677 A. Yarranton England's Improvem. 11 Having one son at Venice, one at Noremberge, one at Hamburgh, and one at Dantzick, where Banks are, I desire four Tickets of Credit, each of them for a Thousand pounds. 1696 W. Killigrew Proposal 15 Under the Security of the Government, Men will not be lyable to such Losses, as has been by Private Banks . . ‘ (OED)
Comments
Second Reading
About Tuesday 13 October 1663
Chris Squire UK • Link
Re: ‘ . . finding so many absent men, or dead pays.’
‘dead pay, n. < Compare French morte-paye.
. . 2. Pay continued in the name of a soldier or sailor actually dead or discharged, and appropriated by the officer; a person in whose name such pay is drawn.
. . 1663 S. Pepys Diary 13 Oct. (1971) IV. 334 The King..mustering the guards the other day himself; where he found reason to dislike their condition..finding so many absent men or dead pays . . ’
…….
Re: ‘ . . she answered, “Zounds! she must set the house on fire but it should be roasted!” . . ’
‘zounds, int. A euphemistic abbreviation of by God's wounds used in oaths and asseverations.
. . a1616 Shakespeare King John (1623) ii. i. 467 Zounds, I was neuer so bethumpt with words.
. . 1699 G. Farquhar Love & Bottle ii. ii. 16 Zoons is only us'd by the disbanded Officers and Bullies: but Zauns is the Beaux pronuncation [sic] . . ‘
(OED)
About Monday 12 October 1663
Chris Squire UK • Link
Re: ‘ . . there cheapened some laces for my wife . . ‘
'cheapen, v. < Germanic . .
1. a. trans. To bargain for, ask the price of, bid for, offer a price for; = cheap v. 3. Also fig. arch. or dial.
. . 1710 Swift in Swift & R. Steele Tatler No. 238 To Shops in Crowds the daggled Females fly, Pretend to cheapen Goods, but nothing buy . . ‘
(OED)
About Sunday 11 October 1663
Chris Squire UK • Link
Re: ’ . . the effect of my electuary last night . . ’
‘electuary, n. < . . ἐκλείχειν to lick out.
1. a. A medicinal conserve or paste, consisting of a powder or other ingredient mixed with honey, preserve, or syrup of some kind.
. . 1636 D. Featley Clavis Mystica xii. 148 Many simples goe to the making of a soveraigne Electuary.
1751 R. Brookes Gen. Pract. Physic II. 454 The antiscorbutic Electary..is very efficacious in this Disease . . ‘
(OED)
About Friday 9 October 1663
Chris Squire UK • Link
Re: ‘ . . I could neither have a natural stool nor break wind . . ’
‘stool, n. < Common Germanic;
. . 5. c. The action of evacuating the bowels; an act of discharging fæces. by stool: by fæcal as distinguished from other means of evacuation.
. . 1663 S. Pepys Diary 24 May (1971) IV. 153 Having taken one of Mr. Holliards pills last night, it brought a stool or two this morning . . ‘
About Saturday 3 October 1663
Chris Squire UK • Link
The local smith had made a bracket to hold the bell, to be fixed (nailed) to a timber hoist in the lath and plaster wall. In the days before handy men and DIY it naturally fell to him to do the nailing.
No doubt SP could have done this for himself but it would have been infra dig for him as a gentleman to have done so; this would have become a piece of common gossip in the servant network, something he was at pains to avoid as it would lead to a loss of social distance and respect, even to ridicule.
About Friday 2 October 1663
Chris Squire UK • Link
Re: my wife, who is over head and eares in getting her house up,
‘head, n.1 < Germanic . .
. . P3. In collocation with another noun
. . e.
(a) over head and ears: (so as to be) completely immersed; (fig.) (so as to be) deeply immersed or involved in something .. .
. . 1663 S. Pepys Diary 2 Oct. (1971) IV. 322 My wife, who is over head and ears in getting her house up . . ‘
(OED)
About Monday 28 September 1663
Chris Squire UK • Link
Re: ‘ . . I am not satisfied with the method used in this thing. . . ’
It was probably a candle auction, the usual method at this date:
‘ . . It has been the custom in some places to set up an inch of lighted candle, the last bidder before the wick falls becoming purchaser of the property . .
1673 A. Marvell Rehearsal Transpros'd ii. 234 As in an Auction, to be sold by Inch of Candle.
. . 1728 E. Chambers Cycl. (at cited word), There is also a kind of Excommunication by Inch of Candle; wherein, the Time a lighted Candle continues burning, is allow'd the Sinner to come to Repentance, but after which, he remains excommunicated to all Intents and Purposes.
. .1797 E. Burke Lett. Peace Regic. France iv, in Wks. IX. 84 Where British faith and honour are to be sold by inch of candle‘.
(OED)
About Friday 25 September 1663
Chris Squire UK • Link
Re: ‘ . . where it of a sudden did lighten, thunder, and rain . . ’
‘lighten, v.2 . .
. . 6. To flash lightning, to emit flashes of lightning. Chiefly impers.
. . 1611 Bible (King James) Luke xvii. 24 As the lightning that lighteneth out of the one part vnder heauen, shineth vnto the other part vnder heauen.
. . 1725 D. Defoe New Voy. round World ii. 200 Two of the Men..cried out, it lightened; one said, he saw the Flash . . ‘
(OED)
About Saturday 19 September 1663
Chris Squire UK • Link
Re: ’ . . my lip being . . bit with the gnatts)
‘gnat, n.1< Old English gnæt(t strong masculine, cognate with German dialect gnatze weak feminine.
1.a. A small two-winged fly of the genus Culex, esp. Culex pipiens, the female of which has a sharp pointed proboscis, by means of which it punctures the skins of animals and sucks their blood.
In the United States: the common mosquito, Culex mosquito
. . 1617 S. Hieron Penance for Sinne in Wks. (1620) II. 75 Let not our sermons be as the spiders web, thorow which doe breake the greater flies, while onely the lesser gnats are taken.
. . 2. Applied to other insects resembling this; (U.S.) a small stinging fly of the genus Simulium.
. . 1867 F. Francis Bk. Angling vi. 186 The Black Gnat..has been called ‘the fisherman's curse’.’
……..
‘gnat's piss n. slang a very weak beverage; a drink of poor quality.
1959 I. Opie & P. Opie Lore & Lang. Schoolchildren ix. 164 Weak tea may be ‘gnat's piss’ . . ‘
……..
In Britain we also have the mighty midge:
‘midge, n.< Germanic . . Perhaps ultimately related to a number of forms in other Indo-European languages (showing various different extended forms of the same base), such as: ancient Greek μυῖα, classical Latin musca, Albanian mizë, all in sense ‘fly’.
1. a. A small insect resembling a gnat; (Entomol.) any of numerous insects of the dipteran families Chironomidae and Ceratopogonidae, which are commonly found in swarms near water or marshy areas.
Midges of the family Ceratopogonidae are the ‘biting midges’; those of the family Chironomidae are the ‘non-biting midges’.
. . 1658 J. Rowland tr. T. Moffett Theater of Insects in Topsell's Hist. Four-footed Beasts (rev. ed.) 953 These small Summer Gnats..are properly called in English Midges.
1668 W. Charleton Onomasticon Zoicon 43 Culices..Gnats, & si parvi sunt Midges . . ‘
(OED)
About Friday 18 September 1663
Chris Squire UK • Link
Re: ‘ . . they call the ‘Breedlings’ of the place . . ‘
ˈbreedling, n. One born and bred in a place; a native.
1663 S. Pepys Diary 18 Sept. (1971) IV. 311 Over most sad Fenns all the way observing the sad life that the people of that place (which if they be born there, they call the ‘Breedlings’ of the place) do live. [Taken by Macaulay for a proper name. See Hist. Eng. (1855) III. xi. 41.]’
(OED)
About Thursday 17 September 1663
Chris Squire UK • Link
Re: ’ . . my uncle Day’s will and surrender . . ’
‘surrender, n. < Anglo-Norman surrender . .
The action or an act of surrendering.
1. a. The giving up of an estate . . spec. the yielding up of a tenancy in a copyhold estate to the lord of the manor for a specified purpose . .
. . 1590 W. West Συμβολαιογραϕία ii. §311. sig. DDiij, An Instrument of Surrender is an instrument testifiyng..that the particuler tenant of landes..doth..agree, that he which hath the next immediate remainder or reuersion thereof shall also haue the particuler estate of the same in possession.
. . 1766 W. Blackstone Comm. Laws Eng. ii. 365 Surrender,..the yielding up of the estate by the tenant into the hands of the lord, for such purposes as in the surrender are expressed . . ‘
……………
‘indifferent, adj. < French
. . 6. b. Of medium or moderate extent, size, etc.; fairly large; tolerable. Obs. or arch.
1548 in W. Page Certificates Chantries County of York (1895) II. 482 Of good conversacion and qualities and indifferent lerenyng.
1580 J. Lyly Euphues & his Eng. (new ed.) f. 96, Indifferent welth to maintaine his family, expecting all thinges necessary, nothing superfluous.
1603 R. Johnson tr. G. Botero Hist. Descr. Worlde 77 Of sheepe they haue in some places indifferent store.
1697 W. Dampier New Voy. around World v. 96 Two little Islands, each about a mile round, of an indifferent heighth.
1707 tr. P. Le Lorrain de Vallemont Curiosities in Husbandry & Gardening 231, I discover'd them to be compos'd of much Mercury, of an indifferent Quantity of Sulphur, and a little less of fixt Salt. . . ‘
……………
Re: ’laura k on 24 Sep 2006 Fens is also a generic term for swamp or bog land. Thus the Irish revolutionary group, the Fenians . . ’
‘Fenian, n. and adj. < Old Irish féne ‘one of the names of the ancient population of Ireland’ (Windisch), confused in modern times with fíann feminine collect., the name of a body of warriors who are said to have been the defenders of Ireland in the time of Finn and other legendary Irish kings.
1. (See quot. 1879.) Obs. exc. Hist.
. . 1879 Encycl. Brit. IX. 75/1 According to popular tradition the Fians, or Fenians were mercenary tribes acting as a permanent military force for the support of the Ard Rig, or king of Eire . .
…………..
(OED)
About Wednesday 16 September 1663
Chris Squire UK • Link
Re: ’ . . reproached my uncle . . with taking use upon use for this money
‘use, n. < Anglo-Norman
. . P17. use upon use: compound interest; (more generally) excessive interest. Also fig.
1605 J. Sylvester tr. G. de S. Du Bartas Deuine Weekes & Wks. i. iii. 91 You Citie-Vipers, that (incestuous) ioyne Vse vpon vse, begetting Coyne of Coyne.
. . 1740 S. Richardson Pamela II. 389, I am become a mere Usurer; and want to make Use upon Use.’
(OED)
About Tuesday 15 September 1663
Chris Squire UK • Link
Re: ’ . . not sensible how they ought to treat my uncle and his son . .’
‘sensible, adj. and n. < French . .
11. a. Cognizant, conscious, aware of something. Often with some tinge of emotional sense: Cognizant of something as a ground for pleasure or regret . .
. . 1662 J. Davies tr. A. Olearius Voy. & Trav. Ambassadors 200 The Birds, which were not yet sensible of the Cold,..continued their Chirping and Singing till near the middle of December.
1667 S. Pepys Diary 14 Feb. (1974) VIII. 62 Which shows how little we are sensible of the weight of the business upon us . . ‘
About Sunday 13 September 1663
Chris Squire UK • Link
Re: ‘I . . was willing enough to feign . .’
‘feign, v. < Latin . .
. . 8. b. absol. To practise simulation.
. . 1612 T. Taylor Αρχὴν Ἁπάντων: Comm. Epist. Paul to Titus i. 2 He seemeth to faine, by vttering things clean contrary to his mind.
1671 Milton Paradise Regain'd i. 474 It may stand him more in stead to..feign .
. . 9. b. intr. To pretend, make oneself appear. Const. to with inf. . .
. . 1632 J. Hayward tr. G. F. Biondi Eromena 6 Fayning to goe recreate himselfe..gave order publikly. . . ‘
Sam made her keener by dangling the trip in front of her as a casual remark and then raising difficulties when she wanted to go and letting her win him over. Clever!
About Monday 14 September 1663
Chris Squire UK • Link
Re: ’ . . my cozen Thomas dropped his hange . . ‘
‘hanger, n.3 < hang v. Old English/Old Norse . . A kind of short sword, originally hung from the belt.
. . 1530 J. Palsgrave Lesclarcissement 229/1 Hangre a weapen, bracquemart.
. .1590 R. Harvey Plaine Percevall sig. D4, The sight of a Hanger rusted in the sheath hanging by ones side.
. . 1719 D. Defoe Life Robinson Crusoe 263, I made him a Belt, with a Frog hanging to it, such as in England we wear Hangers in; and in the Frog, instead of a Hanger, I gave him a Hatchet . . ‘
About Saturday 12 September 1663
Chris Squire UK • Link
Re: ‘ . . "he may hold his mind" . . ’
I haven’t found this in the OED under either ‘hold’ or ‘mind’; I think Robert Gertz above 13.09.16 is correct.
About Friday 11 September 1663
Chris Squire UK • Link
Re: ’This morning . . knocked up in our back yard . .
‘to knock up < Late Old English . .
1. trans. To drive upwards, or fasten up, by knocking; spec. in Bookbinding . . ; in Bootmaking . .
1660 S. Pepys Diary 30 Jan. (1970) I. 33 Knocking up nails for my hats and cloaks.
2. intr. To be driven up so as to strike something. to knock up against, to come into collision with; fig. to meet with, come across, encounter.
3. trans. To make up (hastily or off-hand), to arrange summarily.
4. To put together hastily; = to knock together 3 at Phrasal verbs. Also, to prepare (food) quickly (U.S.).
5. To get or accumulate by labour or exertion; spec. in Cricket, to run up (a score), make (so many runs) by striking the ball. colloq.
6. To arouse by knocking at the door. (This sense is not current in the U.S.)
1663 S. Pepys Diary 11 Sept. (1971) IV. 304 This morning, about 2 or 3 a-clock, knocked up in our backyard..I find it was the Constable and his watch.
. . 1973 National Observer (U.S.) 3 Feb. 7/1 Fielding's guide-book considerately explains that a male host may quite casually tell a female American house guest that he will ‘knock you up at 7:30 tomorrow morning’. The term, of course, conveys nothing more than a rapping at the door until one is awakened.
7. To overcome or make ill with fatigue; to exhaust, tire out. (Esp. in pass.)
8. intr. To become exhausted or tired out; to become unserviceable; to break down.
9. trans. To break up, destroy, put an end to.
10. To make (a woman) pregnant; (less commonly) to have sexual intercourse with (a woman). slang (orig. U.S.).
. . 1836 D. Crockett Exploits & Adventures in Texas vii. 97 Nigger women are knocked down by the auctioneer, and knocked up by the purchaser . . '
About Thursday 10 September 1663
Chris Squire UK • Link
Re: " though none of the best cooks,"
'None' = 'not one' which makes good sense here.
About Wednesday 9 September 1663
Chris Squire UK • Link
We must wait to see what Our Hero does about Sandwich's affair.
PLEASE NO SPOILERS now or anytime! - let us live in SP's time a she did.
......................
Re: ’ . . a fine cupp turned out of Lignum Vitae . . ’
‘lignum vitae, n. < Latin = wood of life.
1. A tree; = guaiacum n. 1. Applied also to several other trees having wood of similar properties.
2. The wood of this tree; = guaiacum n. 2.
. . 1660 S. Pepys Diary 21 Nov. (1970) I. 298 This morning my Cosen Tho. Pepys the Turner sent me a Cupp of Lignum vitæ for a token . .
1817 J. Adams Let. 5 June in Wks. (1856) X. 263 Mr. Adams was born and tempered a wedge of steel to split the knot of lignum vitæ, which tied North America to Great Britain . . ‘
‘guaiacum, n. < Spanish guayaco . .
1. A genus of trees and shrubs (N.O. Zygophyllaceæ), native to the West Indies and the warmer parts of America; . .
. .1712 J. Browne tr. P. Pomet et al. Compl. Hist. Druggs I. 66 Guajacum..is a Tree the Size of a common Walnut Tree.
1792 M. Riddell Voy. Madeira 90 The guiacum, or lignum vitae, is found here. The bark is white and gummy, the leaves winged, the blossoms of a beautiful violet colour, and the berries are used as bitters.
2. The hard and heavy brownish-green wood of G. officinale and G. sanctum, used in medicine; lignum vitæ.
3. A resin obtained from the tree; also, the drug prepared from it . .
. . 1663 R. Boyle Some Considerations Usefulnesse Exper. Nat. Philos. ii. App. 386 Some of our eminentist English Doctors..have not scrupled of late years to use the strong and fetid chymical oyles of Amber and Guajacum . . ‘
(OED)
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Re Montague’s conduct in 1659/60: see his entry in the Encyclopedia: http://www.pepysdiary.com/encyclo…. It has 5 entries for ‘Mountagu, Edward’ and 3 for ‘Mountagu, Sir Edward’ (note the spelling). ‘My Lord’ is the final entry.
DNB has ‘ . . His firm belief in strong rule, ideally of a single person, enabled him to make the transition from lingering adherence to Richard (whom he was still addressing as ‘your highness’ months after his fall) to a qualified support for the return of Charles II . . ‘.
About Monday 7 September 1663
Chris Squire UK • Link
Re: ’ . . I reckon nothing money but when it is in the bank . .’
‘bank, n.3 < Middle French banc moneylender's counter . .
I. A financial establishment.
1. a. The shop, office, or place of business of a money changer or moneylender . .
. . 1649 Bp. J. Taylor Great Exemplar ii. 21 Exchangers of Money made the temple to be the market and the banke.
. . 2. a. An institution that invests money deposited by customers or subscribers, typically pays interest on deposits . . The sense in some of the early examples is unclear, and may be closer to that of sense 1a.
. . 1601 G. de Malynes Treat. Canker Englands Commonw. ii. 23 Peter hath two thousand ducats in the Banke... Peter hath occasion to pay vnto Iohn one thousand ducats, he goeth to the Bankers..and requireth them to pay one thousand ducats vnto Iohn, whereupon they presently make Peter debter for one thousand ducats, and Iohn creditour for the same summe.
1677 A. Yarranton England's Improvem. 11 Having one son at Venice, one at Noremberge, one at Hamburgh, and one at Dantzick, where Banks are, I desire four Tickets of Credit, each of them for a Thousand pounds.
1696 W. Killigrew Proposal 15 Under the Security of the Government, Men will not be lyable to such Losses, as has been by Private Banks . . ‘
(OED)