It might be interesting to learn how many "lurkers" the site has - provided that they could bear to pop their heads above the parapet on this occasion.
How many do not have English as their native language?
How many, if any, have a professional or academic interest in the diaries (e.g. as teachers/historians/social historians).
Oh dear, Sam has recently spent hours 'titling' all his books, shelving them and indexing them - all nice and neat and orderly - and straight away goes and buys another book! He hasn't mentioned disposing of any of his earlier purchases (except for L'Escholle des Filles, which presumably never made it as far as the book-case) and he's already determined that his book-cases are now full, so where is this one going to go? Cue the carpenter?
"and there at a draper’s shop drawing up a short note of what they are to desire of the House"
An engaging little vignette. You just drop into a draper's, ask for pen and paper and use the counter to make notes for yourself. I can't see that working in many modern shopping centres.
When Pepys uses this term, he is normally referring to Elizabeth's menses. The poor woman obviously suffers very bad cramps at times.
I wonder whether all our readers fully appreciate how very painful this condition can be. I once saw a work-colleague turn as white as a sheet and faint when hit by especially bad cramps. Not the normal state of affairs, but it can happen.
As Nix says, couple this with additional gripes from the working of the purgative and poor Elisabeth must have been having a truly miserable night. And not even a hot water bottle to ease things a bit.
These measurements applied in the 16th and early 17th centuries but I should have thought unlikely to have been much altered by the Restoration period. The big changes in weaving practice came in the 18th century.
Even if KIlligrew's velvet was silk velvet, that still sounds like quite a generous clothing allowance.
Phoenix and Robert's interpretations are certainly plausible. My only cavil is that Elizabeth is usually left waiting for Sam somewhere that she might well enjoy spending time - Unthankes, The New Exchange or perhaps with her parents or friends. (She and Sam did miss one another at the theatre the other day, but that was scarcely a matter of neglect). I don't recall that she has ever been left hanging around at a late hour outside someone else's house in the dark on a cold, February night.
Of course, she waits for Sam for hours to come home to dinner, supper or what you will, but that's another matter.
"which is so like my wife that I was mighty taken with it, though troubled for it."
I think that Sam is saying that he was mighty taken with the likeness to his wife, but troubled that Houblon's wife was left waiting in her coach, in the dark, in an unfamiliar street (albeit with a companion). i.e. the first "it" refers to the likeness and the second "it" to her uncomfortable situation. However, it's not absolutely clear whether it is Mrs. Houblon or the fine lady who bears the striking resemblance to Elizabeth.
It's not the best constructed sentence that he has ever written.
Sam's distrust of venturing through the ruins at night is hardly surprising. The bombed-out remains of parts of London's East End could seem similarly threatening in the 1940s.
This expression of dissatisfaction with Will comes as something of a surprise. We're more used to seeing the young man as an efficient and completely trustworthy employee. Has Hewer been presuming too much on Sam's good will (no pun intended) or is the latter just having one of those days?
"no pleasure nor content in him, as if he had been a man of reading and parts."
Well, there goes one retirement plan. Although Sam has occasionally day-dreamed about retiring quietly to the country it's clear that this prospective brother-in-law is unlikely to add to the attractions of Brampton even if the marriage does mean that Sam will, at last, get Pall off the family's hands.
An hour? Not so very long when it comes to getting rid of the little devils. Pepys may enjoy the process when it's effected by dear Deb, but small children hate it.
Nowadays the Judge's Marshal's duties tend to encompass the original essence of the "stable-keeper' as the young barrister often finds that his most pertinent duty is ensuring that the judge's car arrives at the official lodgings at the right time to get him to court or other engagements and that all the right papers go with him.
Just as I should find it impossible to fall asleep whilst someone was fiddling about with my hair, I suspect that Sam, given the chance, would find it impossible to nod off whilst watching "amazing drama" on television.
Comments
First Reading
About Survey results
Mary • Link
It might be interesting to learn how many "lurkers" the site has - provided that they could bear to pop their heads above the parapet on this occasion.
How many do not have English as their native language?
How many, if any, have a professional or academic interest in the diaries (e.g. as teachers/historians/social historians).
About Wednesday 20 July 1664
Mary • Link
"gloves" it is in the L&M edition.
Much more reasonable than globes as consolation prizes.
About Saturday 22 February 1667/68
Mary • Link
and there did buy Kircher’s Musurgia
Oh dear, Sam has recently spent hours 'titling' all his books, shelving them and indexing them - all nice and neat and orderly - and straight away goes and buys another book! He hasn't mentioned disposing of any of his earlier purchases (except for L'Escholle des Filles, which presumably never made it as far as the book-case) and he's already determined that his book-cases are now full, so where is this one going to go? Cue the carpenter?
About Friday 21 February 1667/68
Mary • Link
"and there at a draper’s shop drawing up a short note of what they are to desire of the House"
An engaging little vignette. You just drop into a draper's, ask for pen and paper and use the counter to make notes for yourself. I can't see that working in many modern shopping centres.
About Saturday 15 February 1667/68
Mary • Link
"those"
When Pepys uses this term, he is normally referring to Elizabeth's menses. The poor woman obviously suffers very bad cramps at times.
I wonder whether all our readers fully appreciate how very painful this condition can be. I once saw a work-colleague turn as white as a sheet and faint when hit by especially bad cramps. Not the normal state of affairs, but it can happen.
As Nix says, couple this with additional gripes from the working of the purgative and poor Elisabeth must have been having a truly miserable night. And not even a hot water bottle to ease things a bit.
About Thursday 13 February 1667/68
Mary • Link
fabric widths.
According to an article by Susan Reed, standard English fabric widths were as follows:
wool broadcloth 63 inches
Kersey 36 inches
cottons & friezes 27 inches
silks 22 inches.
These measurements applied in the 16th and early 17th centuries but I should have thought unlikely to have been much altered by the Restoration period. The big changes in weaving practice came in the 18th century.
Even if KIlligrew's velvet was silk velvet, that still sounds like quite a generous clothing allowance.
http://www.elizabethancostume.net…
About Thursday 13 February 1667/68
Mary • Link
thirty yards of velvet and sixteen yards of damask sounds like an awful lot of cloth.
Does anyone know whether fabric was woven to any kind of standard width at this date, and if so, what it was?
About Thursday 13 February 1667/68
Mary • Link
"but I am not concerned in it at all"
Sam is denying that he was in any way directly responsible for this action. Not me, Guv.
About Wednesday 12 February 1667/68
Mary • Link
ladies in waiting.
Phoenix and Robert's interpretations are certainly plausible. My only cavil is that Elizabeth is usually left waiting for Sam somewhere that she might well enjoy spending time - Unthankes, The New Exchange or perhaps with her parents or friends. (She and Sam did miss one another at the theatre the other day, but that was scarcely a matter of neglect). I don't recall that she has ever been left hanging around at a late hour outside someone else's house in the dark on a cold, February night.
Of course, she waits for Sam for hours to come home to dinner, supper or what you will, but that's another matter.
About Wednesday 12 February 1667/68
Mary • Link
"which is so like my wife that I was mighty taken with it, though troubled for it."
I think that Sam is saying that he was mighty taken with the likeness to his wife, but troubled that Houblon's wife was left waiting in her coach, in the dark, in an unfamiliar street (albeit with a companion). i.e. the first "it" refers to the likeness and the second "it" to her uncomfortable situation. However, it's not absolutely clear whether it is Mrs. Houblon or the fine lady who bears the striking resemblance to Elizabeth.
It's not the best constructed sentence that he has ever written.
About Thursday 6 February 1667/68
Mary • Link
the ruines.
Sam's distrust of venturing through the ruins at night is hardly surprising. The bombed-out remains of parts of London's East End could seem similarly threatening in the 1940s.
About Wednesday 5 February 1667/68
Mary • Link
Will Hewer.
This expression of dissatisfaction with Will comes as something of a surprise. We're more used to seeing the young man as an efficient and completely trustworthy employee. Has Hewer been presuming too much on Sam's good will (no pun intended) or is the latter just having one of those days?
About Friday 7 February 1667/68
Mary • Link
"no pleasure nor content in him, as if he had been a man of reading and parts."
Well, there goes one retirement plan. Although Sam has occasionally day-dreamed about retiring quietly to the country it's clear that this prospective brother-in-law is unlikely to add to the attractions of Brampton even if the marriage does mean that Sam will, at last, get Pall off the family's hands.
About Wednesday 5 February 1667/68
Mary • Link
"and the evening great information"
The L&M text reads, "and had had great information." We tend to accept the L&M reading as authoritative.
About Pepys family tree updated
Mary • Link
Dear Phil,
Your work for this blog is amazing and we really do appreciate it.
Gong Xi Fa Chai!
Mary.
About Sunday 2 February 1667/68
Mary • Link
powdered pork
Rubbed with spice (and possibly salt, too) before cooking.
Still a tasty way of preparing pork for roasting, especially if you use Chinese five-spice powder.
About Sunday 2 February 1667/68
Mary • Link
Combing/nit-picking.
An hour? Not so very long when it comes to getting rid of the little devils. Pepys may enjoy the process when it's effected by dear Deb, but small children hate it.
About Friday 31 January 1667/68
Mary • Link
Griffin's account of the churches,taverns etc. burnt and saved in the Great Fire.
This sounds like the birth of one of those typical urban myths.
About Thursday 30 January 1667/68
Mary • Link
marshal.
Nowadays the Judge's Marshal's duties tend to encompass the original essence of the "stable-keeper' as the young barrister often finds that his most pertinent duty is ensuring that the judge's car arrives at the official lodgings at the right time to get him to court or other engagements and that all the right papers go with him.
About Sunday 26 January 1667/68
Mary • Link
soporific de-lousing.
Just as I should find it impossible to fall asleep whilst someone was fiddling about with my hair, I suspect that Sam, given the chance, would find it impossible to nod off whilst watching "amazing drama" on television.