Tuesday 7 January 1661/62

Long in bed, and then rose and went along with Sir W. Pen on foot to Stepny to Mrs. Chappell’s (who has the pretty boy to her son), and there met my wife and Sir W. Pen’s children all, and Mrs. Poole and her boy, and there dined and were very merry, and home again by coach and so to the office. In the afternoon and at night to Sir W. Pen’s, there supped and played at cards with them and were merry, the children being to go all away to school again to-morrow. Thence home and to bed.

15 Annotations

First Reading

Australian Susan  •  Link

"Long in bed"
Why are we not surprised....
All this talk of children and parents making much of them before school starts again - such a pity Sam was never a parent. And we would have learnt so much about 17th century parenting.

Markv  •  Link

If he'd been a parent, he wouldn't have had the time or energy to keep up the diary!

vicenzo  •  Link

getting over holiday overeating "...on foot to Stepny..."
I am lost on this phrase "...who has the pretty boy to her son..."

daniel  •  Link

"who has the pretty boy to her son"

I agree! Also, ” to school again to-morrow”

Have they been at winter break like so many of our present day children have been?

Bradford  •  Link

The phrasing of "who has the pretty boy to her son" is just an idiom now long passed out of usage: the sense is "Mrs. Chappell, who has a son who is a pretty boy." Rather along the lines of: "You remember that Mrs. Chappell, the one who has the pretty son?" though nowadays he might more likely be called "cute."

Pedro.  •  Link

"the children being to go all away to school again to-morrow."

Sam went to St.Paul's School, described by L&M describes as; the largest fee-paying school in London, mostly day boys with a few boarders.
In Penn's case maybe his children were sent to boarding school, and he would pay by the term?

A. De Araujo  •  Link

" 7 January"
"Then to Cui B.'s to dinner,long fiscal
yarn,met his brother-in-law,Dick Hodgson of York,and so home as Mr Pepys hath it to sleep"
this was written in 1904 by the early champion of human rights and famous diarist,Roger Casement; mutatis mutandis some similarities with SP diary: the x-rated parts are in Kikongo and portuguese though.

RexLeo  •  Link

"...at night to Sir W. Pen’s, there supped and played at cards with them and were merry"

Looks like Pepys and Pens are becoming close family friends.

Australian Susan  •  Link

School Terms
Most schools (day or boarding) would follow the pattern at use at Eton at that time: school was in two halves, with a break to go home at Christmas. Eton still calls its terms, "halves", even though they now have three of them!

AussieAnnie  •  Link

Could the primitive style of removal of his "stone" be the reason for no children?

vicenzo  •  Link

AussieAnnie: 'tis a suspicion that the duct was cut. When one uses a cut throat razor to cut, one can not cut such a fine line. It took many years for the razor cutters to find a way to prevent male impregnation.

vicenzo  •  Link

School terms: The practise of days off from school and office. After suffering the shortest day and the longest night and the Imbibing,it is custom that is as pagan as any celebrant could wish for: along with the grim reaper.
http://www.gwydir.demon.co.uk/jo/…


vicenzo  •  Link

Missed item by Sam, a mysterious plot investigation in H of L :Report from the Committee concerning the Plot.
The Lord Chancellor reported to the House, "That the Committee of both Houses, appointed before the Adjournment, have several Times (Footnote *) met at Whitehall, and considered of the Business referred to them; but, finding some imaginary Jealousies abroad of the End and Intent of this Committee's Meeting, the said Committee have made no Resolutions or Opinions therein; but have thought it fit to leave the Business to the Wisdom of both Houses of Parliament, to provide such temporal Expedient, and to take such Remedy therein, as to them shall seem fit upon an Occasion of this Nature."
Hereupon the Lords ORDERED, To have a Conference with the House of Commons presently, to acquaint them herewith; and to let them know, that the Lords think it fit to dissolve that Committee

From: British History Online
Source: House of Lords Journal Volume 11: 7 January 1662. Journal of the House of Lords: volume 11, ().
URL: http://www.british-history.ac.uk/…
Date: 16/01/2005

vicenzo  •  Link

The new year starts well with a nice dose of unlawful arrest of members of of the Commons:Privilege.
RESOLVED, That the Constable of Westminster, William Dibden, alias Dabene, William Barrington, Samuell Roper, Richard Knight, Arthur Butterworth, Richard Loveland, and John Bowman, be apprehended, and brought in the Custody of the Serjeant at Arms; to answer their Breach of Privilege, in imprisoning Mr. Speccott, and Mr. Southcott, Two of the Members of this House; and for using them in a reproachful Manner; and using ignominious Words against the Members of this House.

From: British History Online
Source: House of Commons Journal Volume 8: 7 January 1662. Journal of the House of Commons: volume 8, (1802).
URL: http://www.british-history.ac.uk/…
Date: 08/03/2005

Second Reading

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