Sunday 19 June 1664
(Lord’s day). Up, and all the morning and afternoon (only at dinner at home) at my office doing many businesses for want of time on the week days. In the afternoon the greatest shower of rain of a sudden and the greatest and most continued thunder that ever I heard I think in my life. In the evening home to my wife, and there talked seriously of several of our family concernments, and among others of bringing Pall out of the country to us here to try to put her off, which I am very desirous, and my wife also of. So to supper, prayers, which I have of late too much omitted. So to bed.
17 Annotations
First Reading
Terry F • Link
"the greatest and most continued thunder that ever I heard I think in my life."
Is this the first time Pepys has been so tentative? When I was a teenager and given to making dogmatic statements (even more than now), my father counseled me (several times) to qualify my opinings with "I think."
Bradford • Link
Or, fending off doubt, you can read it as equivalent to a parenthetical "I'm sure."
Did Sam's prayers include hopes for divine assistance in Putting Off Pall?
JWB • Link
"... wife also of."
I think it's come back round to being thought proper to end an English sentence with a preposition, but still'n all.
cape henry • Link
I think, TF, that he has used the qualifier a few times in the past, but as you suggest, not frequently.
I was struck by the use of 'weekday' and I'm wondering if there were 6 or 5 of them at the time.
Patricia • Link
I take "putting Pall off" to mean getting her married off...she has a poor chance of meeting anybody interesting and eligible while immured in the Country. Something my own girls complained of, come to think of it....
Robert Gertz • Link
Would this mean poor Paulina would finally be treated as a guest at chez Pepys? I rather hope her answer to dear brother Sam is along the lines of "Go to Hell".
Robert Gertz • Link
Judgement Day...
...And the Lord has caught with our boy.
"Pepys, is it?"
"Yes, my Lord...er, Lord."
"Not too bad on the whole." eyes record in printed volumes, rather like his own Diary, a curious Sam, restored to his pleased surprise to about age 30, peering to see. "...The usual minor indiscretions, petty jealousies and cruelties..."
Ummn...
"A great love of life, that's very good...But I see here Pepys that we had certain arrangements between us. Vows, I should say. Which I seem to have fulfilled on the letter...Whereas you..."
Uh... "Lord?"
"Seems your church attendance...Despite frequent appeals to me for private aid...Was rather spotty?"
"Uh...Well, Lord. I was rather busy during certain years and times."
"Not too busy to request boons from me, I see." stern look...
"...And there's rather a falling-off in family prayers..."
"Very busy, Lord...Dutch war, plague, have you read my account of our great London fire?"
"Oh, yes Samuel. That was excellent. Still you seem to have failed a few obligations...Not to mention the abuse of your loving wife...Certain unfortunate ventures into infidelity...A few questionable financial arrangements with your Navy's suppliers..."
"I was not a rich man my...er Lord. I did do my best to get value and service for the King. As for my wife and my...lapses, we've gone for therapy since I arrived here."
"And then there's the matter of your poor sister, Paulina..."
"Lord? I always did my 17th century best for her, Lord."
"Just funnin' you brother..." the Lord God Paulina reveals herself.
Cumsalisgrano • Link
'weekday' for the less than middling sort, it be 6 day from 7 to 7,[ 72 hrs ] only in the mid 20th century did the work became 48 hrs with thanks to the the original Labour group of Atlee et al. i.e. 5 and a 'alf days, a Saturday at 4 hrs so that thee could not find a shop open, ye had to have a wife or a kid at home to get some grub for the evening meal sunday, as the fridge be not in 'site' [sight]. Now of course, we be back to 12 hr days so that commuter can stay home and rest the auto.
'Wot' else could the lessers be doing, nowt to watch after sundown.
GrahamT • Link
"..the greatest shower of rain of a sudden and the greatest and most continued thunder that ever I heard I think in my life."
This in the week that parts of Britain had 1 month's worth of rain in a few hours.
http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/…
Helen Ayers • Link
Well, last night (19th June 07) here in East Kent I also heard, for two hours, "the greatest and most continued thunder that ever I heard I think in my life." A tremendous storm. So Pepys' experience on the very same date repeated itself.
A. De Araujo • Link
"to try to put her off"
Time is running short; Mr and Mrs Sam Pepys do not want the burden.
ann • Link
Wouldn't this the the time of year that Sam would be thinking (i.e., bullying) Elizabeth into going to the country for the summer to avoid plague? Maybe the plan is for her to bring Pall back late summer?
Terry F • Link
"I think"
In February this year Pepys first used this phrase at all. This is the 25th time he has used it.
http://www.gyford.com/cgi-bin/mt/…
In the "ever in my life" context only 27 February 1663/64 (while I was in hospital, so I missed it, cape henry):
"the best oysters I have seen this year, and I think as good in all respects as ever I eat in my life"
And I found this:
15 May 1664
"my wife lying from me to-night, the first time she did in the same house ever since we were married, I think (unless while my father was in town, that he lay with me)." http://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/1… -- which speaks to that issue.
Kevin Peter • Link
I seem to recall Sam and Elizabeth sending Pall off into the countryside because there were some personality conflicts between Pall and Elizabeth. Sam seemed to be a bit discontented with Pall's performance as hired help as well.
I'm surprised that they are both so eager to get her back out of the countryside. I guess they want her to get married off as soon as possible. Let's hope she won't be serving as hired help this time: more conflict with Elizabeth would be inevitable at that point.
Second Reading
San Diego Sarah • Link
Sadly GrahamT's link is broken.
I did find
http://booty.org.uk/booty.weather…
"Possibly a cold spring and also much of summer for London/SE with some notable thunderstorms / hailstorms and heavy rain events. The summer was described as being wet in England, with much disease in cattle. [NB: the CET figure doesn't really stand out for spring and summer - so perhaps there were lengthy chilly periods, without being overall cold?]
"Much thunder and lightning during the year 1664. This implies frequent occurrence of cold air at middle levels, and might imply that the zone of mobility was transferred well to the south of its modern-day position."
Anyone know what the CET figure means, and how anyone could know that now?
San Diego Sarah • Link
"... of bringing Pall out of the country to us here to try to put her off, ..."
This must mean they will treat Pall better this time. She is going to have to be Elizabeth's friend, sister-in-law and companion, and dressed and treated as such (while praying everyone has amnesia from a couple of years ago).
Considering how many men died in the last 15 years, there must have been a substantial number of single and widowed women in Pall's situation.
John G • Link
CENTRAL ENGLAND TEMPERATURE
You can look this up on the internet yourself.