The lady appears to have been a noted eccentric (delighted in designing her own clothes with scant regard for accepted fashion, the more fanciful the better) who was dubbed "Mad Madge of Newcastle."
Pepys seems to be saying that Luce left not only the door (external door to the kitchen) open but that she also left the hatch (half-door between kitchen and the rest of the house) open.
This would have meant that an interloper could have gained easy access not just to the kitchen but also to the 'upstairs' part of the house where the valuables were kept.
At this date the term generally meant "resembling tales of old" and referred back to tales of wild adventures of war and love from the Middle Ages. Also improbable, false or fanciful. Not silly, but 'affected' perhaps in this case.
The notorious Sawney Bean (if, indeed, he ever existed) is supposed to have pursued a life of brigandage, incest and cannibalism in Ayreshire during the 16th century.
Just a thought: Carteret was born on the island of Jersey and may well have retained from his youth a distinctive Channel Island accent. Perhaps "poopot" is Sam's way of remarking upon Carteret's distinctive pronunciation of the nickname, as the form "poppet" would certainly have been the one normally heard.
Let's not be too judgmental here. The news of his mother's extreme condition had prompted vivid and harrowing nightmares about her on March 25th and was "set to a-weeping heartily" when the news of her death reached him on March 27th. But once the expected blow has fallen, there are things to be done (money to be sent to Brampton, mourning clothes to be bought), things to be grateful for (another anniversary of cutting for the stone safely past, news of his father apparently reassuring) and much business besides. We can't really expect him to snivel on for days.
And besides all this, Sam was living at a time when death was a much more familiar attendant than we are accustomed to. No doubt the words "in the midst of life we are in death" had a real and pertinent ring for him and his contemporaries. Moreover Margaret had clearly been a difficult woman, causing her husband (of whom Sam is patently very fond)a deal of trouble and upset, so there was perhaps an admixture of relief in Sam's reaction - a not wholly incomprehensible emotion.
Perhaps he means that they make very clean vocal 'leaps' from one note to another, rather than taking the easier route of a glissando transition or even 'running' the intervening notes.
[These junping eunuchs make me think of the Peter Cook & Dudley Moore 'Leaping Nuns of Norwich']
According to the L&M reading, he called his little daughter "Poopot" which is even less attractive. I had wondered whether this should not read 'Poppet' but apparently not. Poor child.
I think that you're reading it exactly right, Glyn. I wonder whether Sam has given any thought to his possible response if he is eventually asked to stand as godfather to the child.
This certainly alludes to the trepanning operation.
According to one source (J. Dewhurst) Prince Rupert had previously undergone this procedure once already, in France in the late 1640s, as the result of a severe head wound suffered in battle.
In the spring of 1667 - spoiler - it was to take two similar procedures to accomplish his cure. The operations were undertaken in order to drain a stubborn subdural abcess.
I take this quite literally to mean that Elizabeth has a watch (probably an ornamental fob-watch, or one that would be worn on a ribbon at the neck) that is unexpectedly bad a keeping time.
Ladies' watches have been around since at least the time of Elizabeth I's reign and court. I don't recall Pepys mentioning that he had bought one for Elizabeth, but such a purchase would not be so surprising. As an expensive item, he is justified in feeling upset that it proves so bad.
An L&M footnote states that there were many quavers towards the end of Pepys' setting of the song. The current value of an English quaver (bear with me here) is half that of a crotchet, and thus half of a beat and I assume that the footnote ("too many notes, Mr. Mozart") is using the present-day term.
Yes, I thought about the Lea Valley, Lea Bridge Road etc. before mentioning Lee in SE London, but decided against it, largely because the area as a whole is not generally referred to as "Lee/Lea." "Lea' is the name of the river that runs through several districts.
Anyway [spoiler] later entries will show that Terry is right in citing the arguments for Leigh-on-Sea.
An interesting woman, not least because her portrait at the Wikipedia site linked displays a face that is not the usual Restoration Beauty - it shows some individuality.
She wrote "The Blazing World" which has been described as " the earliest work of science fiction." I wonder whether it reminds anyone else of some recent fantasy writing.
Thanks, Terry. I didn't have the Index to hand. But I still find it a little odd that Balty should choose to lodge his wife there. By the 16th century Leigh was already growing into a fairly busy sea-port, so perhaps not the best place in which to sequester one's 'abandoned' young wife.
Time may tell, but I wonder whether this is really Leigh-on-Sea. That's a good step from London and right on the coast facing towards the Dutch enemy.
It might possibly be Lee in what is now south London; a little way south of Blackheath, between there and Eltham, and within comparatively easy reach of London should need arise. As I say, time may tell. L&M includes no note on the location of Sam's Lee.
Comments
First Reading
About Margaret Cavendish (Duchess of Newcastle-upon-Tyne)
Mary • Link
The lady appears to have been a noted eccentric (delighted in designing her own clothes with scant regard for accepted fashion, the more fanciful the better) who was dubbed "Mad Madge of Newcastle."
About Friday 12 April 1667
Mary • Link
hatch.
Pepys seems to be saying that Luce left not only the door (external door to the kitchen) open but that she also left the hatch (half-door between kitchen and the rest of the house) open.
This would have meant that an interloper could have gained easy access not just to the kitchen but also to the 'upstairs' part of the house where the valuables were kept.
About Thursday 11 April 1667
Mary • Link
romantick.
At this date the term generally meant "resembling tales of old" and referred back to tales of wild adventures of war and love from the Middle Ages. Also improbable, false or fanciful. Not silly, but 'affected' perhaps in this case.
About Wednesday 10 April 1667
Mary • Link
or even 'tuns' = a large cask, especially one for wine. Also the term for various measures of liquid capacity, usually about 954 litres.
About Tuesday 9 April 1667
Mary • Link
The notorious Sawney Bean
(if, indeed, he ever existed) is supposed to have pursued a life of brigandage, incest and cannibalism in Ayreshire during the 16th century.
About Sunday 7 April 1667
Mary • Link
Carteret's 'poopot'
Just a thought: Carteret was born on the island of Jersey and may well have retained from his youth a distinctive Channel Island accent. Perhaps "poopot" is Sam's way of remarking upon Carteret's distinctive pronunciation of the nickname, as the form "poppet" would certainly have been the one normally heard.
About Monday 8 April 1667
Mary • Link
Earthenware?
Certainly not, nor china, but real plate from the goldsmiths.
About Sunday 7 April 1667
Mary • Link
Pepys bereaved.
Let's not be too judgmental here. The news of his mother's extreme condition had prompted vivid and harrowing nightmares about her on March 25th and was "set to a-weeping heartily" when the news of her death reached him on March 27th. But once the expected blow has fallen, there are things to be done (money to be sent to Brampton, mourning clothes to be bought), things to be grateful for (another anniversary of cutting for the stone safely past, news of his father apparently reassuring) and much business besides. We can't really expect him to snivel on for days.
And besides all this, Sam was living at a time when death was a much more familiar attendant than we are accustomed to. No doubt the words "in the midst of life we are in death" had a real and pertinent ring for him and his contemporaries. Moreover Margaret had clearly been a difficult woman, causing her husband (of whom Sam is patently very fond)a deal of trouble and upset, so there was perhaps an admixture of relief in Sam's reaction - a not wholly incomprehensible emotion.
About Sunday 7 April 1667
Mary • Link
excellent jumping eunuchs.
Perhaps he means that they make very clean vocal 'leaps' from one note to another, rather than taking the easier route of a glissando transition or even 'running' the intervening notes.
[These junping eunuchs make me think of the Peter Cook & Dudley Moore 'Leaping Nuns of Norwich']
About Sunday 7 April 1667
Mary • Link
"his little daughter Porpot"
According to the L&M reading, he called his little daughter "Poopot" which is even less attractive. I had wondered whether this should not read 'Poppet' but apparently not. Poor child.
About Sunday 31 March 1667
Mary • Link
I think that you're reading it exactly right, Glyn. I wonder whether Sam has given any thought to his possible response if he is eventually asked to stand as godfather to the child.
About Wednesday 3 April 1667
Mary • Link
Prince Rupert.
This certainly alludes to the trepanning operation.
According to one source (J. Dewhurst) Prince Rupert had previously undergone this procedure once already, in France in the late 1640s, as the result of a severe head wound suffered in battle.
In the spring of 1667 - spoiler - it was to take two similar procedures to accomplish his cure. The operations were undertaken in order to drain a stubborn subdural abcess.
Stout fellow.
About Thursday 4 April 1667
Mary • Link
cheapen -vb. transitive
To bargain for, to bid for, to ask the price of, offer a price for.
About Wednesday 3 April 1667
Mary • Link
my wife's watch ......
I take this quite literally to mean that Elizabeth has a watch (probably an ornamental fob-watch, or one that would be worn on a ribbon at the neck) that is unexpectedly bad a keeping time.
Ladies' watches have been around since at least the time of Elizabeth I's reign and court. I don't recall Pepys mentioning that he had bought one for Elizabeth, but such a purchase would not be so surprising. As an expensive item, he is justified in feeling upset that it proves so bad.
About Tuesday 2 April 1667
Mary • Link
half-notes
An L&M footnote states that there were many quavers towards the end of Pepys' setting of the song. The current value of an English quaver (bear with me here) is half that of a crotchet, and thus half of a beat and I assume that the footnote ("too many notes, Mr. Mozart") is using the present-day term.
About Sunday 31 March 1667
Mary • Link
Strand Bridge.
This seems (L&M) to have been the name for a landing-stage near Somerset House, i.e. on the north bank of the Thames.
About Friday 29 March 1667
Mary • Link
Yes, I thought about the Lea Valley, Lea Bridge Road etc. before mentioning Lee in SE London, but decided against it, largely because the area as a whole is not generally referred to as "Lee/Lea." "Lea' is the name of the river that runs through several districts.
Anyway [spoiler] later entries will show that Terry is right in citing the arguments for Leigh-on-Sea.
About Saturday 30 March 1667
Mary • Link
Margaret Cavendish.
An interesting woman, not least because her portrait at the Wikipedia site linked displays a face that is not the usual Restoration Beauty - it shows some individuality.
She wrote "The Blazing World" which has been described as " the earliest work of science fiction." I wonder whether it reminds anyone else of some recent fantasy writing.
About Friday 29 March 1667
Mary • Link
Leigh.
Thanks, Terry. I didn't have the Index to hand. But I still find it a little odd that Balty should choose to lodge his wife there. By the 16th century Leigh was already growing into a fairly busy sea-port, so perhaps not the best place in which to sequester one's 'abandoned' young wife.
About Friday 29 March 1667
Mary • Link
"a place he is offered at Lee"
Time may tell, but I wonder whether this is really Leigh-on-Sea. That's a good step from London and right on the coast facing towards the Dutch enemy.
It might possibly be Lee in what is now south London; a little way south of Blackheath, between there and Eltham, and within comparatively easy reach of London should need arise. As I say, time may tell. L&M includes no note on the location of Sam's Lee.