Whether this is a picture of Barbara, of Nell or of someone else altogether, I note that it comes from Chiddinsgstone Castle, near Penshurst in Kent. This castle holds a fascinating collection of Stuart/Stewart memorabilia: sadly not available to individual public view at present, though their website says that group tours may be arranged.
The term 'mess' for a cream-based dessert survives in Eton Mess. This is a pudding composed of halved strawberries and crushed meringues folded into whipped cream. Not suitable for slimmers.
In order to obtain admission to a London hospital (e.g. St. Bartholomew's) one had to prove both sickness and poverty (written proof required of the latter). Most people were nursed at home, by friends or possibly in the home of a 'professional' nurse who would charge for her services.
It looks as if the L&M edition may agree with this proposal. They punctuate thus: "... and acre of land bought by - the Duke of York and Mr. Coventry, for aught I see, being the only two ...."
Perhaps we are to understand 'the Tangier Committee' in place of the dash? No editorial explanation is given.
Looks to me (see background information) as if he has had plenty of opportunity to make his own fortune. A barrister, an entrepreneurial merchant and a man who has held potentially profitable government posts under both Cromwell and Charles. No mention of marrying a wealthy wife, though he did inherit his country house (at Hounslow) from his father, Justinian Povey.
It was not uncommon practice, even in the earlier part of the 20th century, to take a regular purge as a matter of course; thought to be a genuinely healthy measure and perhaps necessitated in part by a diet that laid less emphasis on the value of fresh fruit and vegetables or fibre.
Given Elizabeth's indisposition today, Uncle Wight could hardly have chosen a worse day than yesterday to make his outrageous proposal ... it's dollars to doughnuts that she suffers from some degree of PMT and will have found his advances even less amusing than might have been the case at other times of the month.
Colfe's School still exists in Lewisham, though it is no longer a free school. Colfe made the Leathersellers' Company (one of the London liveries) trustees of his will and links between the company and the school remain strong.
It was just such models as these that Commissioner Pett of Chatham was to be accused of having wasted time to rescue when the Dutch sailed up the Medway.
Ah, that well-known request heard too often by the workman. "While you're here, would you just .....?" A heart-sink moment for all builders, plumbers, decorators, electricians etc. with full order-books. Pepys wanted a door repositioning, but since Sympson is on the spot, would he just.....?
Is anyone clearer than I am about this question of Uncle Robert's spoons, the letter P and Sam's fears that he has done himself no good by following Tom's practice? If Sam had admitted to putting an R on the spoons (for RP, Robert Pepys) the passage would make better sense. Monograms usually embrace all initials, not just those of the surname.
According to an earlier note by L&M, Langford was a sub-tenant in the Salisbury Court property, with John Pepys Sr.the principal tenant. The landlord was a certain Mr. Frank, whom we may eventually meet in 1669.
Built by the Earl of Salisbury in the first decade of the 17th century, it was planned as both a bourse for merchants and also a retail shopping area for the supply of luxury goods. As noted in the L&M Companion, the bourse gradually failed, but the building itself became a centre for fashionable society and also the place where news (mercantile and political) and gossip were exchanged.
Linda Levy Peck's "Consuming Splendor" devotes part of it's first chapter to description of the 'Change.
No doubt Sam's business there involved networking and news-gathering, enlivened from time to time with the odd luxury purchase for wife and/or home.
Comments
First Reading
About Friday 24 June 1664
Mary • Link
Portrait of Barbara Villiers?
Whether this is a picture of Barbara, of Nell or of someone else altogether, I note that it comes from Chiddinsgstone Castle, near Penshurst in Kent. This castle holds a fascinating collection of Stuart/Stewart memorabilia: sadly not available to individual public view at present, though their website says that group tours may be arranged.
About Friday 24 June 1664
Mary • Link
Night-clocks.
An L&M footnote directs us to the Ilbert Collection in the British Museum, which includes several examples of such clocks.
About Thursday 16 June 1664
Mary • Link
mess of cream.
The term 'mess' for a cream-based dessert survives in Eton Mess. This is a pudding composed of halved strawberries and crushed meringues folded into whipped cream. Not suitable for slimmers.
About Saturday 11 June 1664
Mary • Link
shuffleboard.
Shuffleboard and shove-ha'penny are different games altogether. Follow Phil's link for information on shuffleboard (Dutch sjoelbak).
About Thursday 9 June 1664
Mary • Link
"I hope I shall make good use of it"
Yet again, Sam stores up a grudge for future reference and revenge. Company for Uncle Wight.
About Tuesday 7 June 1664
Mary • Link
Hospital admission for Elizabeth? Never!
In order to obtain admission to a London hospital (e.g. St. Bartholomew's) one had to prove both sickness and poverty (written proof required of the latter). Most people were nursed at home, by friends or possibly in the home of a 'professional' nurse who would charge for her services.
About Friday 3 June 1664
Mary • Link
Missing a word somewhere?
It looks as if the L&M edition may agree with this proposal. They punctuate thus: "... and acre of land bought by - the Duke of York and Mr. Coventry, for aught I see, being the only two ...."
Perhaps we are to understand 'the Tangier Committee' in place of the dash? No editorial explanation is given.
About Saturday 28 May 1664
Mary • Link
Well done, Andrew.
It's good to know that these annotators can count a Really Useful Member amongst their number!
About Sunday 29 May 1664
Mary • Link
Sources of Povey's money.
Looks to me (see background information) as if he has had plenty of opportunity to make his own fortune. A barrister, an entrepreneurial merchant and a man who has held potentially profitable government posts under both Cromwell and Charles. No mention of marrying a wealthy wife, though he did inherit his country house (at Hounslow) from his father, Justinian Povey.
About Saturday 28 May 1664
Mary • Link
Seasonal fruit and vegetables.
A visit to the website below will give an outline of what may be expected to make a first appearance during various months of the year.
http://www.femalefirst.co.uk/food…
About Thursday 26 May 1664
Mary • Link
7 roods of meadow.
A rood is an area of one quarter of an acre, or 10,890 square feet. Land doesn't seem particularly cheap around Portholme.
About Monday 16 May 1664
Mary • Link
"eeriest"
The multi-volume L&M prints "veriest" which is what one would expect in this context.
Mrs. Pierce is still beautiful and still has the glow of youth in her cheeks; slatternly maybe, but not eerie.
About Sunday 15 May 1664
Mary • Link
"cleansing the innards from time to time...."
It was not uncommon practice, even in the earlier part of the 20th century, to take a regular purge as a matter of course; thought to be a genuinely healthy measure and perhaps necessitated in part by a diet that laid less emphasis on the value of fresh fruit and vegetables or fibre.
About Thursday 12 May 1664
Mary • Link
My wife sick of those...
Given Elizabeth's indisposition today, Uncle Wight could hardly have chosen a worse day than yesterday to make his outrageous proposal ... it's dollars to doughnuts that she suffers from some degree of PMT and will have found his advances even less amusing than might have been the case at other times of the month.
About Monday 9 May 1664
Mary • Link
Abraham Colfe, clerk: a side-note to the above.
Colfe's School still exists in Lewisham, though it is no longer a free school. Colfe made the Leathersellers' Company (one of the London liveries) trustees of his will and links between the company and the school remain strong.
About Saturday 7 May 1664
Mary • Link
ship models
It was just such models as these that Commissioner Pett of Chatham was to be accused of having wasted time to rescue when the Dutch sailed up the Medway.
About Saturday 7 May 1664
Mary • Link
"and giving order for other things about it"
Ah, that well-known request heard too often by the workman. "While you're here, would you just .....?" A heart-sink moment for all builders, plumbers, decorators, electricians etc. with full order-books. Pepys wanted a door repositioning, but since Sympson is on the spot, would he just.....?
About Thursday 5 May 1664
Mary • Link
the changing of the spoons.
Is anyone clearer than I am about this question of Uncle Robert's spoons, the letter P and Sam's fears that he has done himself no good by following Tom's practice? If Sam had admitted to putting an R on the spoons (for RP, Robert Pepys) the passage would make better sense. Monograms usually embrace all initials, not just those of the surname.
About Wednesday 4 May 1664
Mary • Link
Langford's tenancy.
According to an earlier note by L&M, Langford was a sub-tenant in the Salisbury Court property, with John Pepys Sr.the principal tenant. The landlord was a certain Mr. Frank, whom we may eventually meet in 1669.
About Monday 2 May 1664
Mary • Link
The 'Change.
Built by the Earl of Salisbury in the first decade of the 17th century, it was planned as both a bourse for merchants and also a retail shopping area for the supply of luxury goods. As noted in the L&M Companion, the bourse gradually failed, but the building itself became a centre for fashionable society and also the place where news (mercantile and political) and gossip were exchanged.
Linda Levy Peck's "Consuming Splendor" devotes part of it's first chapter to description of the 'Change.
No doubt Sam's business there involved networking and news-gathering, enlivened from time to time with the odd luxury purchase for wife and/or home.