Oysters do spawn in the summer months and don't taste as good then (I've heard). There was probably an Old Wives' Tale that they were poisonous in the summer. Modern farm-bred oysters are eaten year-round and even wild oysters in the Americas don't seem to lose their flavor in the summer. Still, old myths die hard. In Sam's time if you managed to eat a bad oyster, or any bad seafood, it might create a very unfortunate reaction and there wouldn't have been any kind of medicine to relieve the distress.There were many food-borne illnesses back then and many Old Wives' Tales about foods as a result. Better safe than sorry.
The devices for filing were probably spindles or perhaps filing boxes, though a "turner" would imply spindles. I suspect Sam stayed home all morning with his papers because he was eager to use his handsome devices, whatever they were--like new toys. He's still a boy at heart.
A. De Arajo: Priests even in the Church of England baptise babies "In the name of the Father, the of the Son and of the Holy Ghost" and make the sign of the cross. Maybe the priest omitted that. High Anglican churches were and are very much like Roman Catholic ones with all of the same rituals. Some would be hard-pressed to tell the difference.
Sam's mother may treat him as if he were a child, but Sam treats his mother as if she were a fool. What goes around comes around. I'd give him a hard time, too.
" At last, after we had brought down her high spirit, I got my father to yield that she should go into the country with my mother and him, and stay there awhile to see how she will demean herself. "
Sounds to me as if he thought she was too "high spirited." Apparently not in keeping with how he thought a young woman should behave. In other words she refused to bow down to her brother! Good for Pall! I wonder how they "brought down her high spirit."
Bob T wondered how old Pepys' mother might have been when this was written in 1661. Pepys was only 28. His father was 60 in 1661 and was 32 when Samual was born. His mother could have been quite a bit younger since girls were often married at 15 (Pepys' wife was only 14 when they were married). His mother had 4 births before Sam was born, though they all died, making him the eldest. So Pepys' mother probably would have been in her mid 50s in 1661, too young to be suffering from dementia, at least by 21st Century standards. His father was more likely to be suffering from dementia but nothing was said of that. Unfortunately, whatever psychological problems a woman might have had were usually assumed to be just what one might expect from a mere woman who couldn't have had much sense in the first place. Women were seen as baby-making machines and housekeepers and little else. This was common until well into the 20th century and vestiges of it can be seen to this day, even in Western countries.
language hat on 20 Aug 2004 "On the plains of Timbuctoo"
"I think it's a safe assumption that the author of that ditty was more concerned with rhyme and amusement value than the niceties of biogeography."
Cassowary is such an interesting name, too. Why wouldn't a poet or rhymster jump on it? He probably had no knowledge of where Timbuctoo was, either--another interesting name, four-syllable words are so handy and are often funny.
Pepys writes, "To the Privy Seal in the morning, then to the Wardrobe to dinner, where I met my wife, and found my young Lord very ill. So my Lady intends to send her other three sons, Sidney, Oliver, and John, to my house, for fear of the small-pox."
Good grief. If Pepys had a clue as to how virulent small pox was, that's the last thing he would have done with the boys. If his "young Lord" had been exposed to small pox, the boys would have been exposed, and Pepys' whole household would be exposed, including himself. And if they'd been exposed they most likely would come down with it. It must have been a devastating time for everyone.
Oh how I wish Pepys' wife had kept a diary that survived down through the ages. What a boon that would be to know what happened from her point of view, day by day.
As for Sam's willingness to chat with almost anyone--it's amazing what a person might do who has no Internet, no radio, telephone, television or movies--not even a paperback novel to while away the hours. We'd all happily talk to our traveling companions if we lived under those conditions. Most people were probably starved for connection, conversation and entertainment most of the day. A completely different world than we live in today.
Sam probably misspelled it. We already know he had his own way of spelling words. Dictionaries as we know them did not appear until the 18th Century. Writers were pretty much on their own when it came to spelling in the 1600s.
He could have been making a point when he spelled the name "Whore" but more likely he wrote it without thinking much about it, because he didn't know how to spell it and possibly didn't realize that there was more than one way to spell the homophone.
Whatever linen Sam was referring to, as a man of his times, he tended to refer to nearly everything as "my" and "mine". Everything belonged to the man of the house though he might have referred to some of his wife's very intimate clothing as "hers." So there is no way of knowing whether Sam was referring to his own personal linen or household lnen such as sheets and tablecloths. It was ALL his but for a few personal items he would concede to his wife's ownership. Different world. Linens of any type were very expensive then. He would have been much more careful and focused on them than most people would be today. Thieves would hardly steal linens of any type today, though household help might filch the nicer household things.
Anyone notice how seldom Pepys mentions his wife? He often talks about going to bed at the end of his entries but never mentions where his wife is, or whether they sleep together or separately. Whatever the arrangement is I should think he would sometimes mention her presence or absence at bedtime. She was often unwell, too, but he seems to hardly ever say anything about her on a day to day basis.
Whatever was meant by "in a nasty, ugly pickle," Sam seems pretty cold-hearted. His aunt has just lost her husband, and all he can say is that her state made him sick! That and the will, of course. Sam's character is deteriorating in my estimation. He doesn't mention his father's reaction. I wonder if he was as cold to his father who has lost a brother.
Comments
Second Reading
About Thursday 5 September 1661
Louise Hudson • Link
I'm happy to see Elizabeth displaying her independence. If she vexes her husband, more power to her. She deserves her feathers.
About Tuesday 3 September 1661
Louise Hudson • Link
Some Protestant sects were and still are adamant to distance themselves from Catholic rituals. The Anglican Church, however, kept most of them.
About Wednesday 4 September 1661
Louise Hudson • Link
Oysters do spawn in the summer months and don't taste as good then (I've heard). There was probably an Old Wives' Tale that they were poisonous in the summer. Modern farm-bred oysters are eaten year-round and even wild oysters in the Americas don't seem to lose their flavor in the summer. Still, old myths die hard. In Sam's time if you managed to eat a bad oyster, or any bad seafood, it might create a very unfortunate reaction and there wouldn't have been any kind of medicine to relieve the distress.There were many food-borne illnesses back then and many Old Wives' Tales about foods as a result. Better safe than sorry.
About Tuesday 3 September 1661
Louise Hudson • Link
The devices for filing were probably spindles or perhaps filing boxes, though a "turner" would imply spindles. I suspect Sam stayed home all morning with his papers because he was eager to use his handsome devices, whatever they were--like new toys. He's still a boy at heart.
A. De Arajo: Priests even in the Church of England baptise babies "In the name of the Father, the of the Son and of the Holy Ghost" and make the sign of the cross. Maybe the priest omitted that. High Anglican churches were and are very much like Roman Catholic ones with all of the same rituals. Some would be hard-pressed to tell the difference.
Sam's mother may treat him as if he were a child, but Sam treats his mother as if she were a fool. What goes around comes around. I'd give him a hard time, too.
About Friday 30 August 1661
Louise Hudson • Link
Calling a man "pretty" was probably as much a put-down as it would be today.
About Wednesday 28 August 1661
Louise Hudson • Link
Sam would love Facebook.
About Tuesday 27 August 1661
Louise Hudson • Link
Too bad Sam missed the phrase, "When Mama's not happy, nobody's happy," by about 400 years. This would apply to both his mother and his wife.
About Sunday 25 August 1661
Louise Hudson • Link
" At last, after we had brought down her high spirit, I got my father to yield that she should go into the country with my mother and him, and stay there awhile to see how she will demean herself. "
Sounds to me as if he thought she was too "high spirited." Apparently not in keeping with how he thought a young woman should behave. In other words she refused to bow down to her brother! Good for Pall! I wonder how they "brought down her high spirit."
About Friday 23 August 1661
Louise Hudson • Link
Bob T wondered how old Pepys' mother might have been when this was written in 1661. Pepys was only 28. His father was 60 in 1661 and was 32 when Samual was born. His mother could have been quite a bit younger since girls were often married at 15 (Pepys' wife was only 14 when they were married). His mother had 4 births before Sam was born, though they all died, making him the eldest. So Pepys' mother probably would have been in her mid 50s in 1661, too young to be suffering from dementia, at least by 21st Century standards. His father was more likely to be suffering from dementia but nothing was said of that. Unfortunately, whatever psychological problems a woman might have had were usually assumed to be just what one might expect from a mere woman who couldn't have had much sense in the first place. Women were seen as baby-making machines and housekeepers and little else. This was common until well into the 20th century and vestiges of it can be seen to this day, even in Western countries.
About Sunday 18 August 1661
Louise Hudson • Link
language hat on 20 Aug 2004
"On the plains of Timbuctoo"
"I think it's a safe assumption that the author of that ditty was more concerned with rhyme and amusement value than the niceties of biogeography."
Cassowary is such an interesting name, too. Why wouldn't a poet or rhymster jump on it? He probably had no knowledge of where Timbuctoo was, either--another interesting name, four-syllable words are so handy and are often funny.
About Tuesday 13 August 1661
Louise Hudson • Link
Pepys writes, "To the Privy Seal in the morning, then to the Wardrobe to dinner, where I met my wife, and found my young Lord very ill. So my Lady intends to send her other three sons, Sidney, Oliver, and John, to my house, for fear of the small-pox."
Good grief. If Pepys had a clue as to how virulent small pox was, that's the last thing he would have done with the boys. If his "young Lord" had been exposed to small pox, the boys would have been exposed, and Pepys' whole household would be exposed, including himself. And if they'd been exposed they most likely would come down with it. It must have been a devastating time for everyone.
About Saturday 10 August 1661
Louise Hudson • Link
Oh how I wish Pepys' wife had kept a diary that survived down through the ages. What a boon that would be to know what happened from her point of view, day by day.
About Friday 2 August 1661
Louise Hudson • Link
As for Sam's willingness to chat with almost anyone--it's amazing what a person might do who has no Internet, no radio, telephone, television or movies--not even a paperback novel to while away the hours. We'd all happily talk to our traveling companions if we lived under those conditions. Most people were probably starved for connection, conversation and entertainment most of the day. A completely different world than we live in today.
About Tuesday 30 July 1661
Louise Hudson • Link
There are many people named Hoar in England and other English speaking countries. http://www.houseofnames.com/hoar-…
Sam probably misspelled it. We already know he had his own way of spelling words. Dictionaries as we know them did not appear until the 18th Century. Writers were pretty much on their own when it came to spelling in the 1600s.
He could have been making a point when he spelled the name "Whore" but more likely he wrote it without thinking much about it, because he didn't know how to spell it and possibly didn't realize that there was more than one way to spell the homophone.
About Sunday 28 July 1661
Louise Hudson • Link
Whatever linen Sam was referring to, as a man of his times, he tended to refer to nearly everything as "my" and "mine". Everything belonged to the man of the house though he might have referred to some of his wife's very intimate clothing as "hers." So there is no way of knowing whether Sam was referring to his own personal linen or household lnen such as sheets and tablecloths. It was ALL his but for a few personal items he would concede to his wife's ownership. Different world. Linens of any type were very expensive then. He would have been much more careful and focused on them than most people would be today. Thieves would hardly steal linens of any type today, though household help might filch the nicer household things.
About Saturday 27 July 1661
Louise Hudson • Link
Stolzi askes
"I wonder why the "young gentlemen" wished to go into France."
He's 17. Maybe he went to France for the same reason a young man might do it today. to avoid the complications of an inconvenient whoops.
About Tuesday 16 July 1661
Louise Hudson • Link
I'm amazed at how many comments are generated by no entry!
About Sunday 14th July 1661
Louise Hudson • Link
Anyone notice how seldom Pepys mentions his wife? He often talks about going to bed at the end of his entries but never mentions where his wife is, or whether they sleep together or separately. Whatever the arrangement is I should think he would sometimes mention her presence or absence at bedtime. She was often unwell, too, but he seems to hardly ever say anything about her on a day to day basis.
About Monday 8 July 1661
Louise Hudson • Link
This would never have happened if Sam had email! :(
If he were on Facebook, his name would be MUD!
About Saturday 6 July 1661
Louise Hudson • Link
Whatever was meant by "in a nasty, ugly pickle," Sam seems pretty cold-hearted. His aunt has just lost her husband, and all he can say is that her state made him sick! That and the will, of course. Sam's character is deteriorating in my estimation. He doesn't mention his father's reaction. I wonder if he was as cold to his father who has lost a brother.