Sasha Clarkson

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Sasha Clarkson has posted 752 annotations/comments since 16 February 2013.

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Second Reading

About Wednesday 18 March 1662/63

Sasha Clarkson  •  Link

"I was just wondering how on earth one tuned a triangle!"

Here's a very funny comic song about a triangle player, by the late Viennese born satirist Georg Kreisler. It's in German, but enunciated so clearly, that you might well get the gist - and the original piano accompaniment is brilliant! One of the comments the sad triangle player makes is "Ein Triangel kann man nicht einmal stimmen!" (One can't tune a triangle)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k…

The words are here: Google Translate will give a mauled English rendition.

http://lyrics.wikia.com/wiki/Geor…

About Sunday 15 March 1662/63

Sasha Clarkson  •  Link

To go back to the logistics of sitting in church. Until the Toleration Act of 1689, weekly attendance at Anglican worship was, in principle, compulsory for everyone. Pews were, and sometimes still are, privately owned seats in a church belonging to those who sponsored them, and their descendants. The Navy Board owned, and under Sam's direction, had recently improved some pews in St Olave's, their local church situated next to the offices and residences of its members. Those entitled to sit in them would have been members of the Navy Board, their families, and guests. This would have normally comprised Sir John M as Comptroller, Both Sir Williams, and Pepys. Others of the Navy board, like Carteret and Coventry, would have had the right too, but were unlikely to exercise it as they lived elsewhere.

At the moment, Sir William Penn's wife was managing his estates in Ireland, and Penn was on his own (with servants) The domestic servants would not expect to use the pews, and *in those times* it would have been unthinkable for any master to allow it. Will Hewer and Miss Ashwell were not classed with the servants and would have expected to sit with, or in front of, their employers. Wayneman might have been expected to stand or squat in the aisle next to his master.

The problem that Pepys perceives is that there are not enough seats for all those who might be entitled to them; in which case, Elizabeth, not being the wife or family of a knight, might have to give way to those who were. This would, from Elizabeth's point of view, be an unbearable and public affront to her dignity, which Sam is anxious to protect her from. One of the reasons that Elizabeth's attendance at church is rarer than Sam's, is her mutual antagonism with Lady Batten, and reluctance to give her the social precedence which Lady B seems to expect. See this entry from last year:

http://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/1…

All this may seem strange or even alien to the modern mind, but it was not trivial in Sam's day. Those who get some satisfaction from snide judgement of those who have been dead for three centuries should at least do so by the standards of the seventeenth century, and not the standards of today, which those judged would not even understand.

It is an amusing thought that the comments on this site may one day be of interest to social historians studying the role of the internet in the 21st century. Annotations say much about the annotator, and contemporary attitudes, as well as casting light upon the Diary. Unlike tweets and facebook posts, annotations here are usually permanent, so beware: judges might yet be judged themselves! :D

About Sunday 15 March 1662/63

Sasha Clarkson  •  Link

The word "snooty" did not exist in Sam's day*, nor would the concept have been understood by him or his circle. The nearest word to it that Sam uses in the diary is "high", often when describing bishops' behaviour. The bishops were trying to reassert their ascendancy and authority in society and were generally resented for their pride and arrogance, even by conforming members of the Church of England. The ascendancy of Puritanism had influenced the mindset of society as a whole, including loyal members of the Cavalier Parliament.

In general, people knew and accepted their place, even if they were trying to better their social position. Some egalitarian ideas had undoubtedly taken root in the fringes of society: the legacy of the Levellers continued to influence the more educated working class though the rise of Chartism and beyond. And religious Nonconformists tended more to social nonconformism too. The Quakers in Sam's time were thought quite extreme for refusing to remove their hats in front of their social superiors. This may sound petty or quaint now, but it caused widespread outrage at the time. The subsequent influence of Quakers on British society was vast, and out of all proportion to their tiny numbers.

*The word has no entry in the 13 volume Oxford English dictionary, nor in my 1973 version of the two volume Shorter OED on historical principles, except in the addenda, where it is defined as "superciliously contemptuous", and dated to 1919. BTW, even the word "snob" did not acquire its modern social meaning until the mid-nineteenth century. This is important, because, as Orwell pointed out in '1984', it is very difficult to think about an idea if the language to describe it does not exist, hence Newspeak.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New…

About Thursday 12 March 1662/63

Sasha Clarkson  •  Link

Some things change, but human nature remains the same, even if social mores change. Disputes about inheritance remain as one of the most poisonous causes of family discord. The recent agreement seems to have restored good relations between Sam and Uncle Thomas. It seems also that Sam had been avoiding uncle (William) Wight because he did not trust him to be neutral in this dispute, but is now anxious to recommence normal intercourse.

We do not know why Uncle Robert disinherited his next brother Thomas, the "Heir at Law" in favour of Sam and his father: maybe the two elder brothers didn't get on, and/or perhaps Sandwich, an important neighbour at Brampton, exerted influence in favour of his protégé Sam.

There is also a suggestion (see the link below) that Wight, a half brother to John, Robert and Thomas, was hurt/disappointed that he was not left anything in the will and that he was left out of the discussions. As a non-Pepys, it's not clear that, unless some of the property came via their joint mother, he should have any legal place in the inheritance chain anyway. The family tree indicates that Robert was at least 13 years older than William and may have had very little to do with him. But it's quite understandable that Uncle Wight felt hurt if he thought that his brothers were shutting him out. Thus, as Thomas lived in London, Wight may have been very happy to be a confidant.

http://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/1…

About Friday 13 March 1662/63

Sasha Clarkson  •  Link

Interesting speculation as to what Sam being "alone" actually means. I suspect that Wayneman was with the party which set out, and might well have been with Sam on his walk, but might equally have been left with the ladies.

Will Hewer on the other hand is a cross between apprentice, clerk and PA. I would expect him to be in the office, not only working at his own tasks, but also being Sam's eyes and ears.

There is so much the diary doesn't tell us.

About Thursday 12 March 1662/63

Sasha Clarkson  •  Link

Quite right Louise! :)

One of the many interesting things about the diary is the light it casts on the evolution of the English language.

About Thursday 12 March 1662/63

Sasha Clarkson  •  Link

"We could, of course, assume the best and conclude Sam was being assiduous merely to ensure the most qualified persons secured the postings."

Whether or not there is personal benefit for him, Sam, like Sandwich, is certainly concerned to promote the competent over the merely connected. This entry from last year shows how, in the opinion of M'Lord, the effectiveness of the Navy depends upon the experience of the former republican officers.

http://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/1…

About Wednesday 11 March 1662/63

Sasha Clarkson  •  Link

"Doubting" his wife is to blame.

There are very few relationships, business or personal, where one doesn't occasionally question the judgement of the other party/parties. It's not disloyal to think for yourself and question things - or record one's thoughts in a private diary. And is there anyone here who has not at times been grateful for a bit of quiet advice from a partner or loved one? The question is: how does one resolve differences in a constructive manner for the common good and for mutual benefit?

Batten Pepys and Penn have to work together as well as living in the same building. Mishandling a petty domestic dispute could, in this age of duels, literally be fatal. Not being able to work together could lead to the one with the fewest protectors being dismissed. It's a matter of record that Lady B and Elizabeth don't get on, but it's in everyone's interest if Sam and Sir W B can smooth things over.

BTW, at this time, and for much of human history, oysters were not a luxury food, but a cheap source of protein that even the poor might afford.

About Tuesday 10 March 1662/63

Sasha Clarkson  •  Link

I very much doubt that there would have been an internal water supply in the office or residences. If they had a piped water supply from a spring, they would have been luckier than most. Drinking water generally came from wells, or hand-pumps from a well or other underground source.

Parts of my own house date back to the late seventeenth century. When I bought it in 1982, there was still a large stone-built water tank outside the kitchen with a tap at the bottom. The previous occupant, whose parents had bought the house in the 1930s, told me that before the house was connected to mains water in the 1950s, the water tank, used for washing water, was filled by a system which collected rain-water from the roof. Drinking water came from a pump over a well about five minutes walk away down a woodland path. We found a well in the back garden, but that had been filled up, probably a couple of hundred years ago, when nearby coal mining works disrupted the underground water flows.

About Monday 9 March 1662/63

Sasha Clarkson  •  Link

These were the days before photographs, so if Sam thinks that Cromwell's image is "more like", it is because, having seen both in the flesh, he is in a position to judge.

Note that Sam writes perfectly respectfully of 'Oliver', and of 'The Protector'.

About Saturday 7 March 1662/63

Sasha Clarkson  •  Link

'Reprehend', to criticise/blame, has all but disappeared from modern English, although 'reprehensible' has not.

From Puck's last speech in 'A Midsummer Night's Dream':
"... Gentles, do not reprehend
If you pardon, we will mend ..."

About Tuesday 3 March 1662/63

Sasha Clarkson  •  Link

"Mrs" started out as an abbreviation for "Mistress", just as "Mr" did for "Master". I wonder when the spoken abbreviations "Mister" & "Missis" came into general use? Certainly after Shakespeare's time; one thinks of Mistress Quickly of the Boar's Head tavern in Eastcheap for example. I suspect that the modern usage started with the lower classes and spread upwards.

As for Mrs The, 'Honi soit qui mal y pense': this site's family tree makes it quite clear who she is. Remember that Pepys also called Sandwich's eldest daughter "Mrs Jem", before Sandwich received his Earldom, and his daughters acquired the title "Lady".

Despite their closeness, the blood relationship between Sam and Jane is quite distant. According to the family tree, Jane (10 years older than Sam) is from the most senior line of the Pepyses, and Sam is from a rather more junior line. They share one pair of great-great-great grandparents, and are actually fourth cousins. The closeness might seem strange, but sometimes one does find a closer relationship with more distant relatives. I have third cousins who feel like siblings: we even look alike - and like our common great-great grandparents: (I have a photo of them together c 1880). The throw of the genetic dice produces all sorts of diverse results.

About Monday 2 March 1662/63

Sasha Clarkson  •  Link

There was plenty of regular trade between England and the Netherlands Sarah. I'm sure sailors on both sides kept a professional eye on each other's defences, on principle, but there was no need for special spying missions.

About Sunday 1 March 1662/63

Sasha Clarkson  •  Link

The date of Easter was originally linked to the Jewish Passover festival, which starts on the night the first full moon after the vernal Equinox. Several European names of Easter reflect this, for example Pâques in French, and Пасха (Paskha) in Russian.

In Western Christianity, Easter Sunday is defined as the first Sunday after the Equinox, falling this year on March 27th.

Orthodox Easter falls on (our) May 1st this year for two reasons. Firstly, the Orthodox calendar ignores the actual vernal equinox, and uses March 21st Julian/April 3rd Gregorian instead. Secondly, the Alexandrine tables used to calculate the date of the full moon are now incorrect by four to five days. This latter inconsistency was what inspired Johannes Kepler to the work which led to his laws of planetary motion.

About Saturday 28 February 1662/63

Sasha Clarkson  •  Link

We have gone from a phrase "the rape of north america ...": emotive, but with a certain amount of justification, to "the British ... rape of America" which is nonsense, unless 1) all the problems of North America were created by Britain, and 2) every invasion and settlement is also a "rape".

As for 1) The diseases which did so much to disrupt the Native American societies came from many European contacts, especially the early Spanish occupations. In fact, several other non-British European countries, including France, Netherlands, Sweden had colonies. Even the tiny Duchy of Courland tried to get in on the act. Currently, (in diary time) New York was New Amsterdam, and the capital of New Netherland, until that colony changed hands in 1674.

Regarding 2) Amongst others, the British had a long alliance with the Iroquois Confederation, many of whom stayed loyal to Britain during the American War of Independence. Presumably if they chose to remain loyal, at that time at least it wasn't rape. Sadly, because of these divided loyalties, the Iroquois suffered greatly during and after the war. The worst crimes against the natives, and despoliation of the land, were committed by descendants of European settlers after the British had gone, and in places which Britain had never occupied.

I'm not trying to excuse anybody's sins here, just get a bit of historical accuracy!

About Sunday 1 March 1662/63

Sasha Clarkson  •  Link

"to bed, without prayers...."

I wonder in which room Pepys held the family prayers? By 'family' of course, I include the servants.

About Saturday 28 February 1662/63

Sasha Clarkson  •  Link

The "outing" of Sir Robert Bernard as Recorder of Huntingdon in 1662/63 was very much about jostling for local power. In the days of few electors and no secret ballots, the Recorder was in a very good position to influence an election.

The entries for 1660 and 1661 tell of rivalry between the Montagus and Capulets, I mean Bernards for possession of the seats in Parliament, with the Bernards initially having the upper hand in the borough of Huntingdon, and the Montagus in the county of Huntingdonshire. The History Of Parliament links below give more details about the area, the rivalries, and Cromwell's continuing legacy there.

http://www.historyofparliamentonl…

http://www.historyofparliamentonl…

I must say, I got great childish pleasure in observing that a later member for Huntingdonshire rejoiced in the name of 'Silius Titus'. Monty Python was merely Art imitating Life!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sil…

About Sir Robert Bernard

Sasha Clarkson  •  Link

The "outing" of Sir Robert Bernard as Recorder of Huntingdon in 1662/63 was very much about jostling for local power. In the days of few electors and no secret ballots, the Recorder was in a very good position to influence an election.

The entries for 1660 and 1661 tell of rivalry between the Montagus and Capulets, I mean Bernards for possession of the seats in Parliament, with the Bernards initially having the upper hand in the borough of Huntingdon, and the Montagus in the county of Huntingdonshire. The History Of Parliament links below give more details about the area, the rivalries, and Cromwell's continuing legacy there.

http://www.historyofparliamentonl…

http://www.historyofparliamentonl…