Sam really knows how to show a girl a good time, doesn't he? Getting his 'little girl' to comb his hair (presumably for nits) doesn't sound like especially seductive foreplay.
Liza Picard (Restoration London) puts the population of London at "over 300,000" in 1660. Guestimates place the death-toll from the 1665 plague in and around London at something in the region of 100,000. Neither figure carries any sort of guarantee.
Wednesday 6th December 1665 was the regular, monthly fast-day (first Wednesday of each month) established because of the plague. The fact that it fell in the first week of Advent is purely fortuitous.
Where is Advent celebrated with 'teas'? Not in this, UK, neck of the Anglican woods.
Note the preponderance of very short sentences in this entry. Quite different from Sam's usual, more expansive style of writing and very effective in conveying the drama of an evening that had thoroughly irritated and upset him. One can clearly hear Sam and Kingdom snapping at one another.
Would that we had a picture of this astonishing woman, who seems to have been able to enchant all the gentlemen with her beauty despite years of unremitting childbearing (19 pregnancies that we know of).
The common interpretation would be that the horse looked unattractive; possibly poorly groomed, maybe sway-backed, too cobby? Has a staring coat and unlikely to be fit? Impossible to tell.
This was one of the monthly days of fasting that had been decreed (6th July) in the face of the plague. Normally these days were to be observed on the first Wednesday of the month. However, last Wednesday (1st November) was, as we have already noted, All Saints' Day. Therefore the fast day for November has been delayed by one week to Wednesday 8th November. December should see the fast reverting to the first Wednesday.
The walk from Woolwich to Greenwich would (assuming a fairly direct route being taken) be about 5.5km (say 3.5 miles).
At least Sam got to see Elizabeth: sometimes he doesn't manage to see her for days together now that the office has shifted out of London for the duration of the worst of the plaguey times.
It ain't never going to work. The fashionable and upwardly mobile will always manage to wear exactly what they wish to wear, but they may have to pay a higher price on the Black Market for their luxury goods if parliament ever gets as far as legislating in the matter.
Comments
First Reading
About Friday 5 January 1665/66
Mary • Link
Sam really knows how to show a girl a good time, doesn't he? Getting his 'little girl' to comb his hair (presumably for nits) doesn't sound like especially seductive foreplay.
About Wednesday 3 January 1665/66
Mary • Link
London population.
Liza Picard (Restoration London) puts the population of London at "over 300,000" in 1660. Guestimates place the death-toll from the 1665 plague in and around London at something in the region of 100,000. Neither figure carries any sort of guarantee.
About Monday 18 December 1665
Mary • Link
A Benny Hill/Sam Pepys sketch is one thing,
but not a whole film. Pepys was far from being the perfect man, but he certainly wasn't a grotesque.
About Monday 18 December 1665
Mary • Link
"did see they spied me" is, indeed, the L&M reading.
About Wednesday 13 December 1665
Mary • Link
fasting.
Wednesday 6th December 1665 was the regular, monthly fast-day (first Wednesday of each month) established because of the plague. The fact that it fell in the first week of Advent is purely fortuitous.
Where is Advent celebrated with 'teas'? Not in this, UK, neck of the Anglican woods.
About Harp and cross money
Mary • Link
harp and cross crowns.
http://www.cromwellcoins.com/html…
shows images of these coins. They were popularly known as 'breeches' coins for reasons that are apparent when you see the images.
Note that there are underscores (not easily visible in this link) on either side of the hyphen and also between 'gold' and 'crowns'.
About Saturday 9 December 1665
Mary • Link
Laocoon has nothing whatever to do with the case as far as I can see.
About Sunday 10 December 1665
Mary • Link
Just a note - and a spoiler.
For an interesting discussion on next year's Great Fire of London and its aftermath, go to
http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/atoz/…
and then select In Our Time - listen again.
About Friday 8 December 1665
Mary • Link
Poor Mrs. Knipp.
Either Mr. Knipp has a tin ear, or he just can't stand his wife attracting so much attention.
About Tuesday 5 December 1665
Mary • Link
'pugilistic style'?
Note the preponderance of very short sentences in this entry. Quite different from Sam's usual, more expansive style of writing and very effective in conveying the drama of an evening that had thoroughly irritated and upset him. One can clearly hear Sam and Kingdom snapping at one another.
About Monday 4 December 1665
Mary • Link
Mrs Pierce, with whom he is mightily stricken.
Would that we had a picture of this astonishing woman, who seems to have been able to enchant all the gentlemen with her beauty despite years of unremitting childbearing (19 pregnancies that we know of).
About Saturday 2 December 1665
Mary • Link
"pretty to reflect...."
If there is amusement here, then I think that it has a somewhat wry look on its face.
About Saturday 18 November 1665
Mary • Link
ill-favoured.
The common interpretation would be that the horse looked unattractive; possibly poorly groomed, maybe sway-backed, too cobby? Has a staring coat and unlikely to be fit? Impossible to tell.
About Thursday 16 November 1665
Mary • Link
60,000l. sterling in India ....
Even without Terry's note and *spoiler*, this strikes one as a tale that has grown in the telling and may prove to be an exaggeration.
About Wednesday 8 November 1665
Mary • Link
the fast day.
This was one of the monthly days of fasting that had been decreed (6th July) in the face of the plague. Normally these days were to be observed on the first Wednesday of the month. However, last Wednesday (1st November) was, as we have already noted, All Saints' Day. Therefore the fast day for November has been delayed by one week to Wednesday 8th November. December should see the fast reverting to the first Wednesday.
About Wednesday 1 November 1665
Mary • Link
"had everyone a green ribband tied in our hats"
Does anyone know the significance, if any, of the green ribbons?
Surely, nothing to do with it being All Saints Day. L&M have nothing to say on the matter.
About Wednesday 1 November 1665
Mary • Link
"very pleasant discourse ...... for him to hear"
Either Mr. Hill is a man of outstanding tact or he hopes for some ultimate advantage in learning of Sam's methods.
About Sunday 29 October 1665
Mary • Link
The walk from Woolwich to Greenwich would (assuming a fairly direct route being taken) be about 5.5km (say 3.5 miles).
At least Sam got to see Elizabeth: sometimes he doesn't manage to see her for days together now that the office has shifted out of London for the duration of the worst of the plaguey times.
About Saturday 28 October 1665
Mary • Link
cgs last posted on 11th October, I believe. On holiday?
About Saturday 28 October 1665
Mary • Link
"but what is of the growth of England"
It ain't never going to work. The fashionable and upwardly mobile will always manage to wear exactly what they wish to wear, but they may have to pay a higher price on the Black Market for their luxury goods if parliament ever gets as far as legislating in the matter.