Tuesday 22 March 1663/64
Up, and spent the whole morning and afternoon at my office, only in the evening, my wife being at my aunt Wight’s, I went thither, calling at my own house, going out found the parlour curtains drawn, and inquiring the reason of it, they told me that their mistress had got Mrs. Buggin’s fine little dog and our little bitch, which is proud at this time, and I am apt to think that she was helping him to line her, for going afterwards to my uncle Wight’s, and supping there with her, where very merry with Mr. Woolly’s drollery, and going home I found the little dog so little that of himself he could not reach our bitch, which I am sorry for, for it is the finest dog that ever I saw in my life, as if he were painted the colours are so finely mixed and shaded. God forgive me, it went against me to have my wife and servants look upon them while they endeavoured to do something … [and yet it provoked me to pleasure with my wife more then usual tonight. – L&M]
32 Annotations
First Reading
Terry F • Link
"she was helping him to lime her" (L&M)
lime (v.) = to mate (L&M Select Glossary)
Maurie Beck • Link
Size matters.
alanB • Link
This has to be 'buggin's turn' only in this case, he could not reach.
Shades of D.H.Lawrence: Would you let your servants read this/watch this?
Bardi • Link
As a 40-year breeder of Welsh Terriers, I can only say - obviously this was not a purebred mating!
Terry F • Link
"proud"
3. Excited by sexual desire; -- applied particularly to the females of some animals. --Sir T. Browne.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) http://www.dictionary.net/proud
In the U.S., Southerners commonly say they are "proud" when they are "glad."
I really doubt they are usually aware of the meaning Pepys intends.
Patricia • Link
" it went against me to have my wife and servants look upon them while they endeavoured to do something ... ." Humans have a lot of sexual hangups, and project their feelings even as far as animal sex. As a little farm girl, I certainly knew where baby animals came from (though I was never permitted to watch a calf born, for example); and it wasn't long before I knew what role the male played in this. But I was sent to my room (no view of barnyard or orchard yard) when my mare was to be mated, and if a stallion made as if to mount freelance, so to speak, I was sent to the house and the stallion scolded. I suspect the men who assisted at these activities found them sexually exciting and didn't want a little girl to witness either the copulation or their own reaction to it. Incidentally, neither Dad nor I ever outgrew this restriction.
Brian • Link
"while they endeavoured to do something . . . and yet it provoked me to pleasure with my wife more than usual tonight."
As Eric Idle would say, "Know what I mean? Nudge-nudge, nudge-nudge?"
Robert Gertz • Link
"Mr. Pepys, I brought those contracts from...Oh, Lord Almighty!"
"Hewer! Get off with you! Back to the office!!" Sam furiously waves.
"What is he doing to her, sir?!"
"Hewer?" Sam stares after the retreating Will, hand firmly over his eyes as he backs away...
"Now you feel better about him coming by when you're not around?" Bess hisses...
"Indeed, yes." Ummn... "By the way, dearest...Was this the rather unsubtle hint I thought it was?"
"Well...With all the death about the place, someone at least should have a chance at bringing some life in."
"He's not having much luck..."
"Yeah..." Bess notes, laconically. Innocent look as Sam eyes her narrowly.
"Mrs. P. I'm not that little..." Nudge.
"Little enough, Mr. P." Nudge back.
"So I should...Try harder?" Pause as they see the little fellow acheiving what had been thought impossible.
"Inspiration to us all, Mrs. P."
"Why are we standing out here, Mr. P.?"
***
"Drat." Back just outside the Naval Office chambers, Sir Will Penn sighs, taking the small telescope away from his eye.
"What? Didn't Elisabeth follow your bright idea about buggin' Buggins' dog?" Sir Will Batten looks at him.
"Yes. But Pepys seems to be enjoying the joke. I was sure it'd drive him crazy." Restores telescope to eye. "Damn, they're headed in arm-in-arm. I thought sure when he saw that little bit of a dog struggling to...? Batten?! The little bastard did it!"
"What? In public?!" Way to go, Pepys...I never thought you had it in you, Batten, reluctant admiration in his face. Grabbing for the telescope...
"Not that little bastard, you idiot!"
***
Robert Gertz • Link
"...[and yet it provoked...]"
"Know what you mean there, sir." Poldy Bloom nods thoughtfully, closing the Diary.
"Read it again, Poldy...Please." Molly asks.
Ruben • Link
To Robert:
May we say you believe in reincarnation?
Mary • Link
.... and so to bed.
The full version of this entry concludes with the words, "and yet it provoked me to pleasure with my wife more than usual tonight."
Note Patricia's annotation above.
JacquelineGore • Link
Robert, you don't suppose Joyce got the scene for poor Rudy's conception from the Diary? Interesting. Now I'm picturing you as Stephen in the library lecturing us after a pint or to with Buck M. that "Ulysses" is largely based on Pepys.
Sean • Link
My God. I can't believe Pepys was turned on by seeing dogs do it.
Don McCahill • Link
> My God. I can't believe Pepys was turned on by seeing dogs do it.
Remember Sean, SP is living is a different world. No TV or billboard advertising, no trousers for women, nearly as strict a morality as the Victorians (we just left the Puritan-ruled era).
In the times, it would probably not be so strange.
A. De Araujo • Link
"God forgive me"
Dogs and Horses are more exciting than the Birds and The Bees.
Bradford • Link
When was the last time Mr. Pepys provided us with a bona fide LOL moment? Poor doggies!
john • Link
Patricia wrote: "As a little farm girl, ..."
Little farm boys were treated differently. In the absence of the hired help, I often held the mare.
Pedro • Link
And the old sea dog...
On the 18th Holmes sights land "...high; full of mountains in the Countrey and Hummocks by the Waterside" and on the 20th "we saw the long Hummock of trees over Cestos and three ships at Anchor in the Roade". Wisely he paused for a day before taking his ships through the treacherous approaches of this anchorage. A boat came off to inform him that the ships lying at anchor were the Expedition, Welcome and Sophia, all King's ships of about 30 guns, and that Captain Merret of the James had gone on ahead to the Gold Coast.
He heard of the marauding activities of the Dutch ship called Hendraught lately arrived at the Coast...At Cestos itself where the King had refused to conspire against the English, the Captain had seized all the local people who had come on board to trade (including two of the King's cousins), put them in irons and carried them away for slaves.
(Man of War...Ollard)
Maurie Beck • Link
Patricia wrote: "I suspect the men who assisted at these activities found them sexually exciting and didn't want a little girl to witness either the copulation or their own reaction to it."
I think it has more to do with mate guarding. Males always talk about innocent females, yet are also terrified of wanton sexual behavior on the part of the "fairer" sex.
Kevin Peter • Link
No doubt Holmes was eager to attack those ships for not striking their colours (seemingly an obsession, from all the ships he's done that to), only to be disappointed that they were English.
Pedro • Link
Striking the Flag.
It would be unfair to say that Holmes has an obsession with striking the Flag...
http://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/1…
After the incident mentioned in the above, Holmes was imprisoned for two months. All commanders would from then on have a duty to see that the practice was carried out.
Pedro • Link
The attacking of merchant ships.
There is no doubt that Holmes was at times over zealous in his duty, but the attacking of merchant ships was carried out by most nations. As some blame Holmes for starting two Dutch Wars, wrongly in my opinion, the following of how De Ruyter nearly started one with the French may be of interest...
Near Corsica (early 1657) De Ruyter fell in with a Hamburg merchantman whose captain told him that he had been caught by two French privateers, who had plundered him and released him afterwards. De Ruyter immediately gave chase and soon the two Frenchmen were descried. He hoisted the English colours, and although the first tried to escape they were compelled to heave to, and taken as prizes.
The ships had been fitted out for privateering but they held a commission from the French King to carry troops destined for service with the Duke of Modena.
The incident caused considerable commotion in the French Court, where it was declared that De Ruyter had hoisted the English flag, which was the action of a pirate...and if action was not taken against him war must be declared against the Dutch...the prizes were returned and peace was preserved at the last moment.
(Summary from The Life of Admiral De Ruyter by Blok)
linuxgid • Link
I learn English and copy writing from blogging. :D
CGS • Link
Don, not so
"no trousers for women,"
Women of the Court and the stage luved to strut in their breeches while men did luv to show off their calves.
'twas the beginning of English Pantomime.
CGS • Link
Don, not so
"no trousers for women,"
Women of the Court and the stage luved to strut in their breeches while men did luv to show off their calves.
'twas the beginning of English Pantomime.
CGS • Link
Don, not so
“no trousers for women,”
Women of the Court and the stage luved to strut in their breeches while men did luv to show off their calves.
‘twas the beginning of English Pantomime.
see
http://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/1…
CGS • Link
Don not so
"no trousers for women,"
Women of the Court and the stage luved to strut in their breeches while men did luv to show off their calves.
'twas the beginning of English Pantomime.
Second Reading
Bill • Link
I'm surprised Wheatley let any of this entry through, quite risque.
"My dear, I don't care what they do, so long as they don't do it in the street and frighten the horses."
Louise Hudson • Link
Sean wrote:
"My God. I can't believe Pepys was turned on by seeing dogs do it."
But he didn't see them do it, according to the passage. He must have been turned on just by the thought of it, which is even creepier!
Gerald Berg • Link
Don't forget the recent death. See some death close up and personal, see some doggy style doings and the next thing you know...
So they held the little fellow up for an assist? Would that be called a Menagerie a 3?
Chris Squire UK • Link
Re: ‘ . . our little bitch, which is proud at this time, . .’
‘proud, adj., < Old French . .
. . 7. a. Of a female animal, esp. a bitch: undergoing oestrus; in heat. Now regional.
. . 1686 R. Blome Gentlemans Recreation iii. iii. 69/2 You should be very careful to get good Dogs, for your Bitches at their first growing Proud.
. . 1982 Dict. Newfoundland Eng. 393/2 Proud, of a bitch, in heat [citing field research by D. Bartlett of Green Bay in 1973].’
…………..
Re: ‘ . . she was helping him to line her . . ’
‘line, v.3 < French . .
trans. Of a dog, wolf, etc.: To copulate with, to cover.
. . 1687 Dryden Hind & Panther i. 11 These last deduce him from th' Helvetian kind Who near the Leman lake his Consort lin'd . . ‘
(OED)
San Diego Sarah • Link
In the first 4 years of the Diary, Pepys uses the description "droll" 4 times. After that, not at all. Did his sense of humor change?
Definition of drollery
1: something that is droll, especially: a comic picture or drawing
2: the act or an instance of jesting or burlesquing
3: whimsical humor
https://www.merriam-webster.com/d…