Wednesday 16 March 1663/64

And then I rose and up, leaving my wife in bed, and to my brother’s, where I set them on cleaning the house, and my wife coming anon to look after things, I up and down to my cozen Stradwicke’s and uncle Fenner’s about discoursing for the funeral, which I am resolved to put off till Friday next. Thence home and trimmed myself, and then to the ’Change, and told my uncle Wight of my brother’s death, and so by coach to my cozen Turner’s and there dined very well, but my wife … [having those upon her today and – L&M] in great pain we were forced to rise in some disorder, and in Mrs. Turner’s coach carried her home and put her to bed. Then back again with my cozen Norton to Mrs. Turner’s, and there staid a while talking with Dr. Pepys, the puppy, whom I had no patience to hear. So I left them and to my brother’s to look after things, and saw the coffin brought; and by and by Mrs. Holden came and saw him nailed up. Then came W. Joyce to me half drunk, and much ado I had to tell him the story of my brother’s being found clear of what was said, but he would interrupt me by some idle discourse or other, of his crying what a good man, and a good speaker my brother was, and God knows what. At last weary of him I got him away, and I to Mrs. Turner’s, and there, though my heart is still heavy to think of my poor brother, yet I could give way to my fancy to hear Mrs. The. play upon the Harpsicon, though the musique did not please me neither. Thence to my brother’s and found them with my mayd Elizabeth taking an inventory of the goods of the house, which I was well pleased at, and am much beholden to Mr. Honeywood’s man in doing of it. His name is Herbert, one that says he knew me when he lived with Sir Samuel Morland, but I have forgot him. So I left them at it, and by coach home and to my office, there to do a little business, but God knows my heart and head is so full of my brother’s death, and the consequences of it, that I can do very little or understand it.

So home to supper, and after looking over some business in my chamber I to bed to my wife, who continues in bed in some pain still. This day I have a great barrel of oysters given me by Mr. Barrow, as big as 16 of others, and I took it in the coach with me to Mrs. Turner’s, and give them to her.

This day the Parliament met again, after a long prorogation, but what they have done I have not been in the way to hear.

25 Annotations

First Reading

cape henry  •  Link

A day of much busyness with Pepys doing what he is so good at, looking after things large (nailing up the coffin) and small (taking oysters to Mrs. Turner), all the while admitting to his personal grief and disorder. As a carry over from yesterday, he is still making it known - and clear - that his brother did not suffer from the pox. My curiosity, though, centers on the meaning of "Friday next." Does he mean day after tomorrow or nine days hence? My understanding of the term would lead me to think he means the latter, but that seems like a long time to postpone the burial in the pre-refrigeration era.

Nate  •  Link

"Next" should mean the next or nearest occurrence, that is, the day after tomorrow.

Terry F  •  Link

"..., but my wife ... in great pain..."

"But my wife, having those upon her today and in great pain,...." (L&M).

Michael Robinson  •  Link

Parliament met again, ..., but what they have done I have not been in the way to hear.

"That His Majesty did intend to have come to the House this Day; but, in regard He understands that many Members of Parliament are coming up, and are not yet come, His Majesty thinks it fit to defer it until Monday Morning next, at which Time He intends to come in Person"

'House of Lords Journal Volume 11: 16 March 1664', Journal of the House of Lords: volume 11: 1660-1666, p. 581. URL: http://www.british-history.ac.uk/…. Date accessed: 17 March 2007.

Jesse  •  Link

"Dr. Pepys, the puppy"

Johnson has for puppy 'A name of contemptuous reproach to a man' citing 'Shakspeare'. Curious that youth seems to have no part.

A. De Araujo  •  Link

"Curious that youth seems to have no part"
Maybe it has to do with Puppet or Pupe.

Robert Gertz  •  Link

Interesting fellow, Dr. Tom. Advanced medical training in Padua yet he can barely write (though perhaps they taught him that as part of the program..."No, Pepys. That prescription is too legible!"). Was he from the branch of the family with money to burn to allow an idiot son to while away his time at Yale drunk in the...Ooop, wrong family...er, while away his time in Padua? I know some well-off young men could more or less snooze their way through medical or legal training at the time, but it seems unlikely Dr. Tom could've breezed through his BA and MA at Trinity. Could he have been 'helped' through? Or is the good doctor a man exceptional in youth but wearing badly?

It would be easy to see why Sam might resent a relative who had such opportunities handed to him if he actually could make little good use of them. ("You're sending that blockhead for an MA? To medical school in Italy?") Still would be interesting to know if Sam's opinion is justified and/or if the doctor Pepys was a better man in youth.

***

Robert Gertz  •  Link

The was sweet... (Spoiler)

Based on this, earlier, and future encounters, I've always suspected she had a crush on Sam.

Bradford  •  Link

"discoursing for the funeral, which I am resolved to put off till Friday next."

But as this is Wednesday, having the funeral Friday is scarcely putting it off. Intuition says this is short for "Friday next week" (i.e., "Friday week"). Can someone cite an authority? Not in the L&M glossaries.

Nate  •  Link

# adjacent: nearest in space or position; immediately adjoining without intervening space; "had adjacent rooms"; "in the next room"; "the person sitting next to me"; "our rooms were side by side"
# future(a): (of elected officers) elected but not yet serving; "our next president"
# following: immediately following in time or order; "the following day"; "next in line"; "the next president"; "the next item on the list"
# at the time or occasion immediately following; "next the doctor examined his back"

wordnet.princeton.edu/perl/webwn

This is modern American useage, of course.

I can't imagine that they will keep the corpse unburied for 10 days with no refrigeration. but it will all come clear on Monday!

Terry F  •  Link

"the funeral, which I am resolved to put off till Friday next."

The point of this phrase seems to be that the funeral will not be immediate. What was the rule -- the done thing, given the need to deal with the putrification of the corpse, as cape henry observes? One might review previous deaths and funerals to find a rule or two. The family or benefactors need to gather? What are SP's alternatives? Surely the morrow, Thursday. Perhaps the emphasis in the phrase above is on Friday rather than upon "next," which comes along for the ride, as it were, meaning "the next" or "nearest" as Nate suggests?

Australian Susan  •  Link

Is Sam delaying because he is waiting to see if his father wants to travel from Brampton? And what has happened to his mother - we heard that she was expected, but Sam has been silent on this matter. Furthermore, he has not mentioned what effect the death will have on the parents, or ister.

"the music did not please me" Is it The.'s taste or playing which makes Sam not enjoy the performance, I wonder? Or just that he's too distracted.

JWB  •  Link

Uncle Robert's example:
He died on the 5th and was buried on the afternoon of the 7th. That was July though.
Recall that he had to be carried outside overnight 6-7.

Rex Gordon  •  Link

Friday next?

We'll know in two entries, anyway.

Pedro  •  Link

Parliament met again, ..., but what they have done I have not been in the way to hear.

Michael, it seems that the Commons did meet and the Lords postponed?

The fourth Session of the second Parliament.

March 16, after an interval of near eight Months, the Parliament assembled again, and the King open'd the Session with a Speech from the Throne as follows.

From: 'The second parliament of Charles II: Fourth session - begins 16/3/1664', The History and Proceedings of the House of Commons : volume 1: 1660-1680 (1742), pp. 72-80. URL: http://www.british-history.ac.uk/…. Date accessed: 31 March 2007.

http://www.british-history.ac.uk/…

Michael Robinson  •  Link

it seems that the Commons did meet and the Lords postponed?

I also caught the text of the Kings Speech to both houses (Lords and Commons) in Chandler, History and Proceedings (1742) which you cite; I assume he is in error and for some reason was not aware of the postponement and placed the text of the King's Speech where it would usually occur, on the first day of a session. Contemporary sources, the Official Journals of Lords and Commons, and Pepys, note a delay. I cited the Lords journal above. The official journal of the Commons reads:-

Mercurii, 16 die Martii, 16 Car. IIdi.

Prayers.
Message form the King.

Mr. Secretary Morrice delivers a Message from his Majesty, to this Effect; viz. That his Majesty did passionately long to see His Houses of Parliament; and thought the Time long, till He did meet them: But he did hear, there were several Members upon the Road, who would be here in a few Days: And that his Majesty had some Occasions, which did, at present, somewhat impede His coming to meet His Houses of Parliament.

Ordered, That this House be adjourned till Monday Morning next, at Eight of the Clock.

'House of Commons Journal Volume 8: 16 March 1664', Journal of the House of Commons: volume 8: 1660-1667 (1802), p. 534.
URL: http://www.british-history.ac.uk/…. Date accessed: 01 April 2007.

Second Reading

Terry Foreman  •  Link

"Dr. Pepys, the puppy"

"Johnson has for puppy 'A name of contemptuous reproach to a man' citing 'Shakspeare'. Curious that youth seems to have no part."

Other sources give youth a part. E.g.
4. a presuming, conceited, or empty-headed young man.
http://www.dictionary.com/browse/…

Sasha Clarkson  •  Link

"Doctor" Thomas was Old Talbot of Impington's son, and the brother of lawyer Roger Pepys, for whom Sam had rather more regard.

James Morgan  •  Link

Jane Austen had a wonderful portrait of puppyism in Emma, via the pretentious Mrs. Elton. Of course that was puppies 100 plus years later:
“A very fine young man indeed, Mr. Weston. You know I candidly told you I should form my own opinion; and I am happy to say that I am extremely pleased with him. You may believe me. I never compliment. I think him a very handsome young man, and his manners are precisely what I like and approve — so truly the gentleman, without the least conceit or puppyism. You must know I have a vast dislike to puppies — quite a horror of them. They were never tolerated at Maple Grove. Neither Mr. Suckling nor me had ever any patience with them; and we used sometimes to say very cutting things! Selina, who is mild almost to a fault, bore with them much better.” Emma, Chapter 38

Bill  •  Link

"Dr. Pepys, the puppy"

PUPPY, … also an unexperienced raw Fellow
---An universal etymological English dictionary. N. Bailey, 1724.

Bill  •  Link

Puppy, (an abusive word) Un sot, un maraut, un fat. [a fool, a rascal, a silly fop]
---The Royal Dictionary Abridged ...: French and English. English and French. A. Boyer, 1755.

JayW  •  Link

Re 'Friday next'. 'This Friday' would mean two days time to me (in the U.K.) and 'next Friday' would mean the week after.
However, the quote from Michael Robinson above refers to Parliament meeting again on 'Monday next'. It looks as if Pepys is referring to the day after tomorrow perhaps to give his mother time to arrive.

Gerald Berg  •  Link

"came and saw him nailed up" Mrs. Holden, now there's a good neighbour! Speaking of debts who is responsible for Tom's now?

Chris Squire UK  •  Link

Re: ’ . . to put off till Friday next . . ’

‘next, adj. < Germanic . .
. . 5. b. Applied (without preceding the) to days of the week, with either the current day or (in later use; orig. Sc.) the current week as the implicit point of reference. Thus (for example) next Friday may mean ‘the soonest Friday after today’ or ‘the Friday of the coming week’. The latter may be indicated contextually, e.g. by contrast with this, but it is not always clear which meaning is intended. Cf. sense A. 10c.

. . 1606 Wily Beguilde 58 Yfaith my sweet honny combe, Ile love thee..We must be askt in Church next Sunday, and weel be married presently.
1676 R. Hooke Diary 19 Nov. (1935) 258 Resolvd to read next thursday on the Longitude and about magneticks, &c.
1700 in G. A. Henderson Kirk St. Ternan (1962) 104 Weekly exercises..which he intended..to begin nixt Wednesday come eight days . . ‘

‘10. c. Applied to days of the week, with either the current day or (more usually) the current week as the implicit point of reference. Cf. sense A. 5a . .
. . 1639 in S. Ree Rec. Elgin (1908) II. 235 To intymate upon Sonday nixt that..Sonday cum aucht dayes is ordeant to be a day of..fasting.
1711 E. Budgell Spectator No. 67. ⁋18 The Collection of Pictures which is to be Exposed to Sale on Friday next . . ‘

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