Bridget Davis
Annotations and comments
Bridget Davis has posted 32 annotations/comments since 23 March 2013.
The most recent first…
Daily entries from the 17th century London diary
Bridget Davis has posted 32 annotations/comments since 23 March 2013.
The most recent first…
Comments
Second Reading
About Wednesday 21 January 1662/63
Bridget Davis • Link
SPOILER: he lives to regret days like these, when he forgot Elizabeth.
About Wednesday 14 January 1662/63
Bridget Davis • Link
I agree, Louise. The only difference between her marriage and most others was that she has not yet had children.
About Tuesday 13 January 1662/63
Bridget Davis • Link
This might be one of my favorite entries so far. I found it delightful and full of those details I love so much. I think Sam calling Elizabeth "poor" was in reference to yesterday - he realized that he must have been hard on her, for her to rise at so early (pitch dark).
I don't believe Sam was bragging at all tonight, though he probably will later. He admits that his dining room was too smoky for guests and that must have been embarrassing, especially after all that recent work on the house.
I think that our young man is simply pleased that he threw a successful grown-up dinner party.
And as for Bess? Showing off her newly remodeled house (with substantial dining table and hired chef) might have been one of the nights of her life.
I too was curious on how this party came about. Does anyone recall the date Sam first mentioned it?
About Thursday 8 January 1662/63
Bridget Davis • Link
It seems odd to me that Sam (or anyone) would get so excited about a play he had not seen that he would hire a smith to break open a clothes chest just to make it to the theater. Was it because it was opening night?
About Thursday 1 January 1662/63
Bridget Davis • Link
I so appreciate our annotators; I wouldn't have understood very much of this entry without them.
About Sunday 28 December 1662
Bridget Davis • Link
Thank you, San Diego Sarah; I think you nailed it.
About Monday 22 December 1662
Bridget Davis • Link
How awkward for Sam, that Sarah is drinking. It must look as though that is why he let her go. And poor Sarah...
About Monday 15 December 1662
Bridget Davis • Link
I agree completely, JayW. Now I'm wondering if he was simply capturing a tender moment on paper, or keeping score. ;)
About Wednesday 10 December 1662
Bridget Davis • Link
Thanks, Weavethe Hawk.
So at this point we have a husband and wife with three servants?
About Wednesday 10 December 1662
Bridget Davis • Link
Am I right that when Sam and Elizabeth married they had no servents, and Elizabeth did the cooking?
About Mole
Bridget Davis • Link
I'd be lost without you guys.
About Tuesday 18 November 1662
Bridget Davis • Link
Pull a crow: thank you Bill!
And to Phil Gyford of 2005, a double thank you.
About Saturday 8 November 1662
Bridget Davis • Link
Sam has spoken much of dirt in the house which I would expect during construction. I wonder if the workers are being intentionally messy?
About Tuesday 4 November 1662
Bridget Davis • Link
Maurie Beck on 5 Nov 2005 •
"But there will be no great miss of him for all that."
But I do miss him and all the other characters. And I miss myself as well, and I'm not even dead yet.
My feelings exactly, Maurie Beck.
About Tuesday 28 October 1662
Bridget Davis • Link
Ridiculous talk...
He so rarely mentions his wife, I have every intention of celebrating when he does. I'm thinking he enjoyed the talk, or he wouldn't have engaged her for one to two hours. :)
About Sunday 26 October 1662
Bridget Davis • Link
Thanks, Bill, for the insight that Sam had, in fact, kept a neat dairy today. Many of us have not seen the manuscript to know.
About Friday 24 October 1662
Bridget Davis • Link
I find it odd, also, that Elizabeth's birthday wasn't mentioned. Didn't they celebrate them back then?
About Wednesday 22 October 1662
Bridget Davis • Link
Poor Tom. I didn't know marriage arrangements could be like this back then. Were such dealings the norm?
About Tuesday 14 October 1662
Bridget Davis • Link
"...and so by moonlight so bravely..."
Was it normal for people to travel at night or was this actually brave?
About Sunday 12 October 1662
Bridget Davis • Link
Sam is acting like such a snob; is his position really that high?