At this date tea, coffee and chocolate were luxury drinks, expensive beverages not available to the general population. For hot drinks in cold weather people were more likely to have resorted to mulled or buttered ale or possibly mulled wine for those with a little more cash to spend. For the sickly or those in need of a real pick-me-up a posset or caudle would have been available.
For all those who can listen (either direct or via the BBC website - www.bbc.co.uk and follow the links) BBC Radio4 is broadcasting 4 programmes this week on the origins and history of the Royal Society at 0900h GMT.
The first programme was broadcast this morning, and will be available on the BBC's "Listen Again" facility shortly.
Tempus fugit. (Off topic) Oh dear, I've just taken the 1667 volume of the diary down from the bookshelf whilst in search of a footnote and realised that it's the penultimate volume in the L&M edition. Admittedly this is a good, fat volume, but the next one is decidedly slender. What shall we do when we come to The End of Pepysian Days?
Perhaps we should start all over again in light of the knowledge that we have gained over the previous years. But would Phil have the stamina for that? We already owe him a tremendous debt of gratitude for all the work that he has done to bring us and Sam closer together over the past seven years. Without it I know that I should never have had the self-discipline to read the entire diary day by day and then, what a lot I should have missed.
Houblon intelligence seems to be very good. The French ships (per L&M) sailed for the West Indies and were subsequently followed by an English squadron of five vessels a few weeks later.
No wonder the Houblons are as successful as they are; all six (father and five sons) apparently work harmoniously together for mutual advantage, their intelligence is good and they have the knack of friendship and good humour.
But, as far as we know, our Pepys had no direct descendants .... certainly none acknowledged as such. ... and brother John died unmarried at the age of 36.
This Pepys must be a collateral descendant of some kind. Any details given?
I take this to mean that the Battens are holding a Christmas 'open house' for all the Navy Office residents. At this date the term 'family' could still be used to denominate all the members of a household (servants included) and not just those who were directly related to one another.
Mitchell himself could indeed have been in the coach. It is dark night, there will have been no light within the coach and precious little (if any) anywhere in the street. The weather is cold and snowy, so the chances are that the passengers are wearing long, winter cloaks whose folds might be used to conceal the assault. No wonder poor Betty looked ill by the time that the journey ended;the friend who was so playful and light-hearted in her early youth has turned into a calculating predator.
Uncle Wight, anyone? We didn't have much to say in favour of his impropriety towards Elizabeth.
Did he have a premonition that he might come to nothing? Only last year (16th February 1665) he offered to give his little daughter up to Pepys, to be brought up as Sam's child. Is this why Sam's conscience now pricks him? He's plainly not about to take this child in now, any more than he was then.
Prisoners in the Tower were expected to pay for their keep and the wealthier ones could expect to pay considerable sums if they wished to be well-lodged and have their servants at hand to look after them.
Betty Martin's new daughter was only baptised on 2nd December and was probably born only a short while before that. Hardly surprising that the new mother may still be feeling too tender to contemplate any rumpy-pumpy with Pepys.
Comments
First Reading
About Tuesday 25 September 1660
Mary • Link
At this date tea, coffee and chocolate were luxury drinks, expensive beverages not available to the general population. For hot drinks in cold weather people were more likely to have resorted to mulled or buttered ale or possibly mulled wine for those with a little more cash to spend. For the sickly or those in need of a real pick-me-up a posset or caudle would have been available.
About Thursday 3 January 1666/67
Mary • Link
only modified rapture.
About Friday 4 January 1666/67
Mary • Link
The New Droll.
Congratulations, MR, on finding the song that the L&M contributing editor had failed to identify.
One can see the reason for Sam's comment on its aptitude to Penn's case.
About Thursday 3 January 1666/67
Mary • Link
The Royal Society - repeat.
The programmes will be repeated in the evenings at 21.30 GMT. They form part of the "In Our Time" series of broadcasts.
About Thursday 3 January 1666/67
Mary • Link
The Royal Society.
For all those who can listen (either direct or via the BBC website - www.bbc.co.uk and follow the links) BBC Radio4 is broadcasting 4 programmes this week on the origins and history of the Royal Society at 0900h GMT.
The first programme was broadcast this morning, and will be available on the BBC's "Listen Again" facility shortly.
About Wednesday 2 January 1666/67
Mary • Link
Tempus fugit.
(Off topic)
Oh dear, I've just taken the 1667 volume of the diary down from the bookshelf whilst in search of a footnote and realised that it's the penultimate volume in the L&M edition. Admittedly this is a good, fat volume, but the next one is decidedly slender. What shall we do when we come to The End of Pepysian Days?
Perhaps we should start all over again in light of the knowledge that we have gained over the previous years. But would Phil have the stamina for that? We already owe him a tremendous debt of gratitude for all the work that he has done to bring us and Sam closer together over the past seven years. Without it I know that I should never have had the self-discipline to read the entire diary day by day and then, what a lot I should have missed.
About Wednesday 2 January 1666/67
Mary • Link
Houblon intelligence
seems to be very good. The French ships (per L&M) sailed for the West Indies and were subsequently followed by an English squadron of five vessels a few weeks later.
No wonder the Houblons are as successful as they are; all six (father and five sons) apparently work harmoniously together for mutual advantage, their intelligence is good and they have the knack of friendship and good humour.
About Shorthand
Mary • Link
Many thanks, Graham.
About Monday 31 December 1666
Mary • Link
But, as far as we know, our Pepys had no direct descendants .... certainly none acknowledged as such. ... and brother John died unmarried at the age of 36.
This Pepys must be a collateral descendant of some kind. Any details given?
About Shorthand
Mary • Link
CGS - file update.
Afraid that I cannot make either the new address or the old one work. Any suggestions?
About Friday 28 December 1666
Mary • Link
Since this play was being staged at Whitehall, one presumes that the court ran to vast supplies of candles
About Friday 28 December 1666
Mary • Link
Macbeth
L&M speculate that this was probably Davenant's "development" of the Shakespearean play, which was much more to Restoration taste.
See the informative annotations via the link.
It's also probable the this Henry V is not the Shakespeare play, but another written by Roger Boyle, Earl of Orrery.
About Thursday 27 December 1666
Mary • Link
"all our families'
I take this to mean that the Battens are holding a Christmas 'open house' for all the Navy Office residents. At this date the term 'family' could still be used to denominate all the members of a household (servants included) and not just those who were directly related to one another.
About Wednesday 26 December 1666
Mary • Link
"to a play which was acted, 'The -------"
There is a complete blank in the manuscript and L&M state that the name has not been traced.
Not memorable as far as Pepys was concerned.
About Sunday 23 December 1666
Mary • Link
Fairly grubby, I think.
Mitchell himself could indeed have been in the coach. It is dark night, there will have been no light within the coach and precious little (if any) anywhere in the street. The weather is cold and snowy, so the chances are that the passengers are wearing long, winter cloaks whose folds might be used to conceal the assault. No wonder poor Betty looked ill by the time that the journey ended;the friend who was so playful and light-hearted in her early youth has turned into a calculating predator.
Uncle Wight, anyone? We didn't have much to say in favour of his impropriety towards Elizabeth.
About Sunday 23 December 1666
Mary • Link
a bit more to these dot-dot-dots...
....did hazer whatever I would. I did by degrees poner mi cosa en su mano nudo and did hazerla tenerle and fregarle et tocar mi thigh.....
Pepys is, in the terms of the 1930s, NSIT (not safe in taxis). What a grubby little picture of himself he's presenting this month.
About Friday 21 December 1666
Mary • Link
dot-dot-dot....
'para besar elle, and tocar sus mamelles, so as to make mi mismo espender with great pleasure' is the L&M reading.
About Thursday 20 December 1666
Mary • Link
poor Batters, indeed.
Did he have a premonition that he might come to nothing? Only last year (16th February 1665) he offered to give his little daughter up to Pepys, to be brought up as Sam's child. Is this why Sam's conscience now pricks him? He's plainly not about to take this child in now, any more than he was then.
About Wednesday 19 December 1666
Mary • Link
Prisoners in the Tower were expected to pay for their keep and the wealthier ones could expect to pay considerable sums if they wished to be well-lodged and have their servants at hand to look after them.
About Tuesday 18 December 1666
Mary • Link
su cosa stava mala
Betty Martin's new daughter was only baptised on 2nd December and was probably born only a short while before that. Hardly surprising that the new mother may still be feeling too tender to contemplate any rumpy-pumpy with Pepys.