jeannine

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jeannine has written 14 articles:

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jeannine has written summaries for eight topics:

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jeannine has posted 1,236 annotations/comments since 16 June 2004.

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First Reading

About Monday 28 March 1664

jeannine  •  Link

"I do not like that these messages should now come all upon Monday morning, when my wife expects of course I should be abroad at the Duke's."
It never occured to me to track Sam's Mondays but it seems that perhaps he thinks that there are clandestine family correspondences taking place when he is away. Can't tell if he thinks that this is a one shot deal (today only) or an every Monday type of thing that he fears?

About Sunday 27 March 1664

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"Personality upstairs, technical skills down"
Plus with Sam's love of a good meal there could be hell to pay if he traded in his great gourmet cook Besse for a lesser skilled run of the mill cook, now if he traded her in for someone from the Julia Child gene pool, it might just work out....but it's doubtful he'll risk it.

About Thursday 17 March 1663/64

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my young brothers and sisters
Edwin's Chapwell's Book, "Eight Generations of the Pepys Family from 1500-1800" lists the dates of births, baptisms, deaths, etc. I'll send it along to Phil and see if he can find a good reference place for it.
Surely, for any mother living in Sam's time, this would unfortunately be the "norm" and just shows the harsh realities of life and death that most of us luckily/hopefully will be spared.

About Thursday 17 March 1663/64

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"and bury him in the church, in the middle isle, as near as I can to my mother's pew"
Any parent's worst nightmare would be to lose a child. I can only imagine what Sam's parents are going through. I am sure that any kindness in thought for how their son is handled in death will mean the world to them. Even with the fact that death in Sam's time was such a part of one's life experience, the loss of their son must be devastating.

About Tuesday 15 March 1663/64

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"Does anyone know if the text of his letter to their father is available? It would be interesting to see how he glosses this event therein". (little spoiler)

Clement, I looked through the 3 books of Sam's letters which I own and did not find this letter. Heath's book "The Letters of Samuel Pepys and his Family Circle" included i) fragments of a letter from Tom to Paulina (Pal); ii) Sam's letter to his Cozen Scott setting forth the balance of Tom's accounts after the burial, etc. and iii) a rather interesting inventory of the Tailor shop. What jumped out to me on reading Tom's letter to Pal was his rather sad ending to her which read:

"Not else at presant but all frinds Loves to you with my most Humble duty to father and mother true Love to your good self (sister Pal) I take Leve as Ever to be
Your truly Loving Brother
till Death
THOMAS PEPYS"

About Tuesday 15 March 1663/64

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"I went up and found the nurse holding his eyes shut"
Just as some have discussed Sam's departure when Tom's death is near, there are those unsung heros who provide comfort and care for those who are dying and aren't afraid to be with that person right up to the end. There is something in the character of these people who can reach beyond their own discomfort with a situation to put the needs and cares of the elderly, sick, dying, etc. ahead of the difficulties of watching them through the process. They don't turn their backs and leave, but deal with it and stay. The world is a better place because of them.

About Monday 14 March 1663/64

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"but whether it was for --[See April 6th]-- money or something worse she knows not"
This reference is to the upcoming April 6 entry. Just a slight spoiler (nothing revealed here) -there will be mystery afoot for Sam to unravel as he starts looking "behing the scenes of Tom's life" so this reference speaks to that. My advice -don't jump ahead (like I did-ugh!) -more fun not knowing!

About Sunday 13 March 1663/64

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Slang of the times

From what I recall during this time period, (can't find the source at the moment) "the pox" refers to syphilis and "the clap" refers to gonorrhea. Either would be an embarrasment to Sam, if Tom actually had it. Although 'the pox' was rampant among the courtiers and, as Nix noted above, people like John Wilmot, (aka Lord Rochester) died from it, even Charles II was not be "immune" from it and passed it along to a future mistress Louise de Keroualle.

On an interesting note, in Wilmot's bio ("A Profane Wit" by Johnson), there is a comment that often men having early phases of the disease did not get treatment as they thought that perhaps they suffered from "THE STONE". The scary part is that Wilmot, in his denial, passed it along to his wife and their children. The sadness here is that even when the carrier believes they are in remission, their partners and/or children are at risk.

Perhaps Sam is also wondering how,when and with whom Tom could have gotten infected and is worried about being hit up for money etc. from some women who felt "injured" by Tom.

About Thursday 10 March 1663/64

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"whereof, by my Lord Sandwich's favour,"
with all of Sam's concerns about his relationship with Sandwich of late, hopefully this allows him some ease from his worries.

About Monday 7 March 1663/64

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"my Lady Castlemayne in a box"
Opening this page today, blurry eyed & before caffeine, the first thing I saw was "My Lady Castlemaine in a box". My immediate vision was that she was in one of those McDonald's "happy meals" and some kid was tearing into the box, pulling out a little toy and screaming with joy, "look mom, I got Lady Castlemaine in the box".....thank goodness they didn't have that kind of marketeering those days. Today we'd see Sandwich's picture (where else) on loaves of bread, Carteret's on real estate ads.......

About Sunday 6 March 1663/64

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"drawing up a second letter to Mr. Coventry about the measure of masts"
Considering that the letter to Coventry is about 6 pages typed, including a chart which contrasts Sir William Warren's prices for Gottenburg masts vs. Mr. Wood's prices for New England Masts, we're lucky that Sam had energy to write anything in the Diary today. In regards to the letter there are 9 sections highlighting the details of the wood from New England vs. that from Sweden and Norway. Sam details differences in the wood, measurements, quality, etc. In the chart the Sam aligns the wood by yardage and hands in circumference side by side. The Gottenburg prices for Warren's masts measuring between 21-28 yards are all priced between 28-50% less than Wood's New England masts. However in the higher lengths (29-35 yards) there aren't any Gottenburg masts listed and only the New England masts cover that higher size on this chart. Where Sam often mentions his work on masts and his conversations about how other countries measure them, figure their quality, etc. he does provide a detailed summary to Coventry and has apparently not only learned quite a bit of detailed information along the way, but has managed to express it in a business like professional manner. It's always interesting to see the juxtaposition of his "business" writing vs. her "personal" writing. For the record (as if we didn't already know) , the Diary is by far more lively and fun to read ---which is good for all of us.
.

About Saturday 5 March 1663/64

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"so as I could not speak almost at all at night"
Bet the servants are popping champagne bottles open over this one!

About Tuesday 1 March 1663/64

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Trepanning Spolier!
In January of 1667 Prince Rupert's "old wound" in his head will start causing him trouble and he'll be trepanned twice over the period of a few weeks. Lucky for us all, we'll have our man on the streets Samuel Pepys to report the details. And, during his convalescence Prince Rupert, always the scientist will amuse himself 'designing surgical instruments to help the doctors treat him more easily". So, even if Rupert gets a little bored in the process, I am sure we won't be bored reading Sam's description of it. Just think if Sam had chosen a career in medicine, he'd be doing this all the time with his past experience "boring holes"!

http://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/1…

Frank Kitson "Prince Rupert: Admiral and General At Sea.

About Monday 29 February 1663/64

jeannine  •  Link

"and there talked with Mrs. Lane and Howlett, but the match with Hawly I perceive will not take, and so I am resolved wholly to avoid occasion of further ill with her....."

the missing line goes on to say:

...until I can find some other fool to pawn her off to and provide cover for me if she gets pregnant....

About Monday 29 February 1663/64

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Happy Leap Year! Don't forget to read the 28th and the 29th entries!

God love Sam. If I had to listen to a 2 hour discourse on taxes I think I'd either die of boredom on the spot, or perhaps record it and play it at night to help me fall asleep! Not only does he listen, but he seems captivated by the discussion!

About Wednesday 24 February 1663/64

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"And thence to Somerset House; and there into the chappell, where Monsieur d'Espagne used to preach. But now it is made very fine, and was ten times more crouded than the Queene's chappell at St. James's"...
In addition to the Mass at somerset House being in a grander setting and more populated than the St. James chapel--often times in Charles' court the courtiers, etc. were quite finicky. When an individual was popular they would swarm around that person like bees attracted to ...hmmm... honey. Recently Sam pointed out that the King was sullen towards Catherine, so, it would be unlikely that people would be interested being seen at her mass. Most likely the Queen Mother was in better standing and the grander setting and being seen with the "right" people on the "right" day most likely added to her attendance level and took away from Catherine's.

Also, an interesting note, and after the Diary is over, Catherine will move into Somerset Home and live there, in what we'd probably call today a "separation" from Charles II. She will make that her home for about 8-10 years, returning back to live in the same location as Charles only during the time of the popish plots.

About Wednesday 24 February 1663/64

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" spent much of the morning walking in the Park, and going to the Queene's chappell, where I staid and saw their masse, till a man came and bid me go out or kneel down: so I did go out.

Spoiler after the Diary ends.. I can't help but thinking that when Sam falls under fire in the Popish Plots that his curiosity in all religions, including Catholicism somehow will work against him when false accusations fly.

About Tuesday 23 February 1663/64

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Gee, no celebration of Valentine's Day and no birthday feast this year either, but he is STILL Sam as he did mention his stone. Like death and taxes, the mention of "the stone" is something you can count on....