Do any of you more knowledgeable folks have a sense of how many servants Sam and Bess keep at any one time, and what their respective roles and duties are?
This is one of the longer entries we have seen in a while. Wonder what the longest entry is. Be fun to rank them by length. As to Pepys intentions on others reading his diary, he probably wrote it initially for himself, then as men often do in later years, decided to preserve it for posterity.
We so rarely hear of Bess visiting her mother or where she lives or her financial condition. Wonder if that is because Bess doesn't visit her often, or perhaps so often that it is unremarkable.
"up and down, to pay all my scores occasioned by this mourning for my mother; and emptied a 50l. bag, " Wonder what the 50l was for? Appears to be all related to mourning. As SDS points out, doesn't appear that he went to a funeral. Would have been interesting to learn a bit more about his custom there.
Spot on SDS - I think you summed up what Sam is thinking. But on his immoral carrying ons. I am still not clear how much Bess knows, cares, or accepts, and whether this simply was accepted (at least by the men) back then.
Interesting that in 1665, our critic Mr. Pepys found the play not good, but two years later in his January 5, 1667 entry, he declared Mustapha "a most excellent play for words and design as ever I did see." He admitted to seeing but not remembering the play from the last go round. Guess it was much improved!
Good point Martin. Was backgammon played in England at that time? Interesting to see that Sam has formed an alliance with Penn on the privateer. Seems that aligns their interest against Batten.
Comments
Second Reading
About Saturday 18 May 1667
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Do any of you more knowledgeable folks have a sense of how many servants Sam and Bess keep at any one time, and what their respective roles and duties are?
About Tuesday 7 May 1667
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Wondering if and how Lord Bruckner ever managed to get even with Sam.
About Monday 29 April 1667
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Thanks Terry. Very interesting.
About Monday 29 April 1667
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What does the reference to an "engine play" mean?
About Friday 26 April 1667
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This is one of the longer entries we have seen in a while. Wonder what the longest entry is. Be fun to rank them by length. As to Pepys intentions on others reading his diary, he probably wrote it initially for himself, then as men often do in later years, decided to preserve it for posterity.
About Tuesday 23 April 1667
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We so rarely hear of Bess visiting her mother or where she lives or her financial condition. Wonder if that is because Bess doesn't visit her often, or perhaps so often that it is unremarkable.
About Saturday 6 April 1667
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"up and down, to pay all my scores occasioned by this mourning for my mother; and emptied a 50l. bag, " Wonder what the 50l was for? Appears to be all related to mourning. As SDS points out, doesn't appear that he went to a funeral. Would have been interesting to learn a bit more about his custom there.
About Tuesday 5 March 1666/67
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Spot on SDS - I think you summed up what Sam is thinking. But on his immoral carrying ons. I am still not clear how much Bess knows, cares, or accepts, and whether this simply was accepted (at least by the men) back then.
About Mustapha (Roger Boyle, Earl of Orrery)
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Interesting that in 1665, our critic Mr. Pepys found the play not good, but two years later in his January 5, 1667 entry, he declared Mustapha "a most excellent play for words and design as ever I did see." He admitted to seeing but not remembering the play from the last go round. Guess it was much improved!
About Wednesday 3 October 1666
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Good point Martin. Was backgammon played in England at that time? Interesting to see that Sam has formed an alliance with Penn on the privateer. Seems that aligns their interest against Batten.
About Sunday 23 September 1666
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Samuel, I think you are correct. Good point.
About Friday 13 July 1666
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SDSarah - thanks for that observation! Remain in suspense on how the next round with the Dutch will turn out.
About Saturday 7 April 1666
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Yes! Wholeheartedly agree with Colin. San Diego Sarah, please carry on. Enjoy (and am enlightened by) your observations.
About Tuesday 14 November 1665
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JonTom in Cambridge Ten years later, but thanks for that explanation. Makes good sense.
About Saturday 6 May 1665
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Thanks RSG, very interesting on the masts.
About Saturday 13 September 1662
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Does anyone know if Sam loses his access to the leads? The suspense is killing me, but I don't want to read ahead.