In my childhood home, the Christmas tip for the delivery men - of which there were many; bread, milk, newspapers, groceries, etc. - was always called the Christmas box, though never given in an actual box.
For a different view of what happens to women when they didn't have a dower to fall back on, read Daniel Defoe's Moll Flanders (husband disappeared with family money) and John Cleland's Fanny Hill (orphaned without an inheritance) Both give a lot of background about dowries and annuities for women, and the consequences of not having them. (Prostitution, crime, transportation, execution, etc...) Though both written in the 18th century, the social background was unchanged enough to make them relevant to our 17th century discussions.
smokeless heat: At least you can see and smell the smoke. The charcoal fire is producing odourless, invisible - and potentially deadly - carbon monoxide
The "French" system of using combinations of numbers to build numbers greater than 69 has echoes in old English: The average age of death was said to be "three-score and ten" years, and not forgetting the Gettysburg address - "Four-score and seven years ago..." (same as quatre-vingt-sept in modern French) I can confirm that the Swiss French use a germanic counting scheme, using septante, huitante and nonante for 70, 80 and 90. Nonante-neuf is much easier for an Anglophone to remember than quatre-vingt-dix-neuf - useful when prices always seem to end with 99 centimes
"...using 'f's instead of 's's, ..." No, the tall s is a different letter to the f. It doesn't have the cross bar. To 17th Century eyes they would be as different as j and i, or I and l would be to us.
"...the nights running on faster than one thinks... Although the solstice is more than 4 weeks away for Sam (approx 14 Dec by his calendar) the earliest sunset is about one week earlier on the 7th December. Sunset for him "currently" would be around 4:07 pm. When it is dark so early, it is easy to carry on working and not notice the actual time: "So to my office busy very late..."
Angers (the "s" is silent and the "g" is soft) is also a town in France, so someone from there would be d'Angers, or d'Anjou if from the surrounding region. The d' would get lost over time as the "of/from" did in English names related to locations. (e.g. Abraham from Lincoln would become Abraham Lincoln over time) This also a possible source of the name Angier.
Demurrage: Usually in the phrase "Demurrage and Detention". This is still charged by shipping companies if a container remains at the port too long after discharge from the ship. It is a cross between a fine and a daily storage charge to encourage shippers and forwarders to move the cargo away from the docks before the demurrage time expires. It can work the other way if a ship is late, the customer can request compensation from the shipping line. Captain Taylor is seeking an extension of the free time allowance before being charged by the Navy Board (I assume) because of the delays at Tangier.
Anyone wishing to try calf's head could go to any real French restaurant serving tête de veau. I had it a few years ago, but won't do it again. The nostrils and eyebrows are the worst bits.
The Baize, is modern slang for a snooker table, which is covered in green baize, hence John Parrot was described as "the Beckham of the Baize" in his obituary last month.
Thank you, thank you, thank you, Pedro. That made my day. Now we need research into the anti-gnaton and the anti- mosquiton, to come up with a Unified cow field theory. This could revolutionise quantum physics. Pepys' gnat versus Schödingers cat. Heisenberg's uncertainty principle makes much more sense when deciding how a mosquito can get through nets and chemicals to leave 17 bites in one night. I obviously have the wavelength of the diffraction grating (mosquito net) wrong. How many Angstroms is a mosquito?
Shakespeare and ague. A character in Twelfth Night is Sir Andrew Aguecheek, so presumably there was a recognised 'look' to those with malaria. Is Sam actually talking about mosquitoes though? I have always recognised gnats and mosqitoes as two distinct species: gnats give a painful nip and fly in great swarms, but mosquitoes are painless until the allergic reaction kicks in, and are solitary.
In my ignorance, I had assumed that Macaulay was writing IN 1689, rather than OF 1689. Having consulted the text linked by Michael, I can see that he consulted the Pepys library heavily, so maybe he read of Pepys' experiences in the fens, which could explain the similar phrasing.
Anyone who watched the Channel Four documentary "The F***ing Fulfords" about the 24th generation "Country Gentleman" living with his family in the 800 year old Fulford hall, would recognise the description given by Macaulay, except for the accent. As this article points out ( http://www.timesonline.co.uk/arti… ) he is still angry about Cromwell's Roundheads stealing the lead off the roof 400 years ago.
Comments
First Reading
About Saturday 19 December 1663
GrahamT • Link
In my childhood home, the Christmas tip for the delivery men - of which there were many; bread, milk, newspapers, groceries, etc. - was always called the Christmas box, though never given in an actual box.
About Thursday 17 December 1663
GrahamT • Link
For a different view of what happens to women when they didn't have a dower to fall back on, read Daniel Defoe's Moll Flanders (husband disappeared with family money) and John Cleland's Fanny Hill (orphaned without an inheritance) Both give a lot of background about dowries and annuities for women, and the consequences of not having them. (Prostitution, crime, transportation, execution, etc...)
Though both written in the 18th century, the social background was unchanged enough to make them relevant to our 17th century discussions.
About Saturday 12 December 1663
GrahamT • Link
Re: "The dirty old lech..."
Patricia, if 31 counts as old, you must be too young to be reading Pepys!
About Saturday 5 December 1663
GrahamT • Link
smokeless heat:
At least you can see and smell the smoke. The charcoal fire is producing odourless, invisible - and potentially deadly - carbon monoxide
About Mathematics
GrahamT • Link
The "French" system of using combinations of numbers to build numbers greater than 69 has echoes in old English: The average age of death was said to be "three-score and ten" years, and not forgetting the Gettysburg address - "Four-score and seven years ago..." (same as quatre-vingt-sept in modern French)
I can confirm that the Swiss French use a germanic counting scheme, using septante, huitante and nonante for 70, 80 and 90. Nonante-neuf is much easier for an Anglophone to remember than quatre-vingt-dix-neuf - useful when prices always seem to end with 99 centimes
About Sunday 15 November 1663
GrahamT • Link
"...using 'f's instead of 's's, ..."
No, the tall s is a different letter to the f. It doesn't have the cross bar. To 17th Century eyes they would be as different as j and i, or I and l would be to us.
About Thursday 12 November 1663
GrahamT • Link
"her hollow sore place..." continued:
Maybe this new discovery should be considered:
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2006…
About Thursday 12 November 1663
GrahamT • Link
"...the nights running on faster than one thinks...
Although the solstice is more than 4 weeks away for Sam (approx 14 Dec by his calendar) the earliest sunset is about one week earlier on the 7th December.
Sunset for him "currently" would be around 4:07 pm.
When it is dark so early, it is easy to carry on working and not notice the actual time: "So to my office busy very late..."
About Trapan, Trepan
GrahamT • Link
Trapan: a trick or snare
About Percival Angier (Pepys' cousin)
Grahamt • Link
Angers (the "s" is silent and the "g" is soft) is also a town in France, so someone from there would be d'Angers, or d'Anjou if from the surrounding region. The d' would get lost over time as the "of/from" did in English names related to locations. (e.g. Abraham from Lincoln would become Abraham Lincoln over time)
This also a possible source of the name Angier.
About Saturday 7 November 1663
GrahamT • Link
Demurrage:
Usually in the phrase "Demurrage and Detention". This is still charged by shipping companies if a container remains at the port too long after discharge from the ship. It is a cross between a fine and a daily storage charge to encourage shippers and forwarders to move the cargo away from the docks before the demurrage time expires. It can work the other way if a ship is late, the customer can request compensation from the shipping line.
Captain Taylor is seeking an extension of the free time allowance before being charged by the Navy Board (I assume) because of the delays at Tangier.
About Saturday 7 November 1663
GrahamT • Link
Boot is now used in British English for the corresponding part of a car: what the Americans call the trunk.
I wonder if Sam's head cold is due to his now lack of hair - assuming he doesn't wear the periwig to bed. I guess he will be buying a nightcap soon.
About Sunday 1 November 1663
GrahamT • Link
Anyone wishing to try calf's head could go to any real French restaurant serving tête de veau. I had it a few years ago, but won't do it again. The nostrils and eyebrows are the worst bits.
About Sunday 1 November 1663
GrahamT • Link
I tried to post a correction to my post earlier but it didn't work.
I should have said "John Parrot described Paul Hunter..."
About Sunday 1 November 1663
GrahamT • Link
The Baize, is modern slang for a snooker table, which is covered in green baize, hence John Parrot was described as "the Beckham of the Baize" in his obituary last month.
About Wednesday 28 October 1663
GrahamT • Link
Press is still in common use in Ireland to mean a cupboard/closet. I believe it is also used in Scotland and the borders.
About Saturday 19 September 1663
GrahamT • Link
Thank you, thank you, thank you, Pedro. That made my day. Now we need research into the anti-gnaton and the anti- mosquiton, to come up with a Unified cow field theory. This could revolutionise quantum physics. Pepys' gnat versus Schödingers cat. Heisenberg's uncertainty principle makes much more sense when deciding how a mosquito can get through nets and chemicals to leave 17 bites in one night. I obviously have the wavelength of the diffraction grating (mosquito net) wrong. How many Angstroms is a mosquito?
About Saturday 19 September 1663
GrahamT • Link
Shakespeare and ague.
A character in Twelfth Night is Sir Andrew Aguecheek, so presumably there was a recognised 'look' to those with malaria.
Is Sam actually talking about mosquitoes though? I have always recognised gnats and mosqitoes as two distinct species: gnats give a painful nip and fly in great swarms, but mosquitoes are painless until the allergic reaction kicks in, and are solitary.
About Friday 18 September 1663
GrahamT • Link
In my ignorance, I had assumed that Macaulay was writing IN 1689, rather than OF 1689. Having consulted the text linked by Michael, I can see that he consulted the Pepys library heavily, so maybe he read of Pepys' experiences in the fens, which could explain the similar phrasing.
About Friday 18 September 1663
GrahamT • Link
Anyone who watched the Channel Four documentary "The F***ing Fulfords" about the 24th generation "Country Gentleman" living with his family in the 800 year old Fulford hall, would recognise the description given by Macaulay, except for the accent.
As this article points out ( http://www.timesonline.co.uk/arti… ) he is still angry about Cromwell's Roundheads stealing the lead off the roof 400 years ago.
Plus ca change...