Having experienced the past week in the UK and having read: "my Lady Carteret talks nothing but sorrow and afflictions coming on us, and indeed I do fear the same. So away and met Dr. Fuller, Bishop of Limricke, and walked an hour with him in the Court talking of newes only, and he do think that matters will be bad with us."
I'm very much of a mind with you SDS. As a contrast to the plague year of 1665, it's been striking how unacceptable the general public is finding being told by our leaders about the inevitability of people dying.
A definite victory in terms of office politics for Pepys.
This entry serves as a handy shorthand for Pepys relations in the office: Commissioner Pett: a fawning rogue, often wrong [Sir] W. Pen: a cunning rogue, looks out for No.1, unreliable [Sir] W. Batten: will speak out for what's right Sir G. Carteret: presumably also sound in this engagement Sir W. Coventry: likewise
"the Duke of York hath a mind to get him [Pierce] one of his places in St. Thomas’s Hospitall"
My first thought was "gosh, St. Thomas’s is still around, what an old hospital". Had a quick look on the Internet where there are suggestions that it was founded more than 900 years ago. Blimey.
"It was mentiond by the secretary that the councell had thought fitt that the expts. for the making out the Theory of the Laws of motion formerly begun by Dr Wren D crone & mr Hooke"
this looks like the term "Laws of Motion" was already in usage as a general term in 1666/67 and perhaps was from this adopted by Newton.
“I find their victory begins to shrinke there, as well as ours here.”
Dog in the manger thinking. Since we're very dissatisfied with the result let's take consolation from spinning the other side's view as also being one of dissatisfaction.
The mention of Pall reminds me that on BBC radio at the weekend there was a repeat of "Pauline Pepys's Dowry", a pilot episode of a sitcom with Olivia Colman and David Mitchell. It was mentioned here years back: https://www.pepysdiary.com/news/2…
Following the discussion of how "Charles the Martyr" is viewed reminded me of recent news. It's still a current issue for some people after nearly 400 years:
"A county councillor is calling for a place of worship to change its name as he claims it is dedicated to a "dictator and warmonger".
Cllr Seán Holden (Con) wants King Charles the Martyr church to reconsider its name on the 370th anniversary of the "tyrant" king's execution.
Charles I was famously executed after his quarrel with parliament about power led to the English Civil War.
In an open letter to the Reverend Laurence Powell, the councillor criticised the commemoration of "a man who started four wars against his own people in which tens of thousands of English and Scots died"."
One thing I wondered about all through the last year of plague is what happened in Evelyn's infirmaries for prisoners of war. Were there any outbreaks? I would have supposed an outbreak would have been lethal in such conditions. But maybe they didn't contain plague carriers.
This is one of my favourite entries of the diary so far. It has it all, the whirlwind of business, the farcical events of the shitting mishap, the marking of his ascent in the hierarchy, and the many people and many places.
Reading this, in my mind's eye I could see it as a film. This one day alone would be enough to do a couple of hours worth on the small or big screen.
That's a helpful annotation Terry and answers the main question that occurred to me as I was reading through the entry: with such a haul of captured ships surely this was going to be a bonanza for Sandwich. Seems not.
Sam's use of "Vacation" makes me wonder what arrangements there were for holiday. I suppose with his role being somewhat freelance, he could go away if he arranged time in his schedule. Although his "holidays" largely seem to be visiting family rather than going to somewhere interesting/relaxing to get away from it all.
"but the receipt of this newes did put us all into such an extacy of joy, that it inspired into Sir J. Minnes and Mr. Evelyn such a spirit of mirth, that in all my life I never met with so merry a two hours as our company this night was"
made me immediately think that everyone is so wound up with death all about, the war, and other stresses, that a suitable trigger easily tips them into hysterical joy.
There have even been signs over the past couple of weeks of Pepys making jokes in the diary which is something that is often noticeably lacking.
I do have a recollection of "flower" being used as a term of endearment for "girl" in British English. The word "petal" was and is used in that sense. Both being applied to young girls, hopefully much younger than Sam's "fairest flower".
Comments
Second Reading
About Tuesday 9 April 1667
mountebank • Link
"she was to my thinking at this time une de plus pretty mohers that ever I did voir in my vida"
For some reason this brought to mind Polari. I could almost imagine Sandy (Kenneth Williams) saying it.
About Friday 15 March 1666/67
mountebank • Link
Having experienced the past week in the UK and having read: "my Lady Carteret talks nothing but sorrow and afflictions coming on us, and indeed I do fear the same. So away and met Dr. Fuller, Bishop of Limricke, and walked an hour with him in the Court talking of newes only, and he do think that matters will be bad with us."
I'm very much of a mind with you SDS. As a contrast to the plague year of 1665, it's been striking how unacceptable the general public is finding being told by our leaders about the inevitability of people dying.
About Friday 8 March 1666/67
mountebank • Link
A definite victory in terms of office politics for Pepys.
This entry serves as a handy shorthand for Pepys relations in the office:
Commissioner Pett: a fawning rogue, often wrong
[Sir] W. Pen: a cunning rogue, looks out for No.1, unreliable
[Sir] W. Batten: will speak out for what's right
Sir G. Carteret: presumably also sound in this engagement
Sir W. Coventry: likewise
About Thursday 7 March 1666/67
mountebank • Link
Lots of hugging, for example "it was pretty to see how Pett hugged the occasion of having anything against Sir W. Batten"
I would guess this has carried over into the current usage of "to hug myself with glee".
About Sunday 3 March 1666/67
mountebank • Link
"the Duke of York hath a mind to get him [Pierce] one of his places in St. Thomas’s Hospitall"
My first thought was "gosh, St. Thomas’s is still around, what an old hospital". Had a quick look on the Internet where there are suggestions that it was founded more than 900 years ago. Blimey.
About Friday 25 January 1666/67
mountebank • Link
Not a classic entry but I did smile at the squabble in the annotations.
About Wednesday 16 January 1666/67
mountebank • Link
Referring to Terry's comment from 2010:
"It was mentiond by the secretary that the councell had thought fitt that the expts. for the making out the Theory of the Laws of motion formerly begun by Dr Wren D crone & mr Hooke"
this looks like the term "Laws of Motion" was already in usage as a general term in 1666/67 and perhaps was from this adopted by Newton.
About Wednesday 12 December 1666
mountebank • Link
"He tells me how the King hath lately paid about 30,000l.1 to clear debts of my Lady Castlemayne’s"
This really puts into perspective the amounts Boris Johnson arranged to go to Jennifer Arcuri for "IT lessons".
About Tuesday 19 June 1666
mountebank • Link
“I find their victory begins to shrinke there, as well as ours here.”
Dog in the manger thinking. Since we're very dissatisfied with the result let's take consolation from spinning the other side's view as also being one of dissatisfaction.
About Saturday 24 March 1665/66
mountebank • Link
The posts above talking about Pepys' relations with other say much to me of duty and respect but less of love and affection.
Although as ever, absence of evidence is not evidence of absence.
About Wednesday 21 March 1665/66
mountebank • Link
Sad to see the mention of Lisa Jardine who died a few years back. I still miss the talks she used to give on BBC radio. Such a loss.
About Sunday 18 February 1665/66
mountebank • Link
The mention of Pall reminds me that on BBC radio at the weekend there was a repeat of "Pauline Pepys's Dowry", a pilot episode of a sitcom with Olivia Colman and David Mitchell. It was mentioned here years back: https://www.pepysdiary.com/news/2…
It's actually available on youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8…
A warning though. Purists will be horrified. I found myself tutting at the way through at inaccuracies but then had to laugh at myself.
About Tuesday 30 January 1665/66
mountebank • Link
Following the discussion of how "Charles the Martyr" is viewed reminded me of recent news. It's still a current issue for some people after nearly 400 years:
https://www.kentonline.co.uk/tunb…
"A county councillor is calling for a place of worship to change its name as he claims it is dedicated to a "dictator and warmonger".
Cllr Seán Holden (Con) wants King Charles the Martyr church to reconsider its name on the 370th anniversary of the "tyrant" king's execution.
Charles I was famously executed after his quarrel with parliament about power led to the English Civil War.
In an open letter to the Reverend Laurence Powell, the councillor criticised the commemoration of "a man who started four wars against his own people in which tens of thousands of English and Scots died"."
About Monday 29 January 1665/66
mountebank • Link
One thing I wondered about all through the last year of plague is what happened in Evelyn's infirmaries for prisoners of war. Were there any outbreaks? I would have supposed an outbreak would have been lethal in such conditions. But maybe they didn't contain plague carriers.
About Sunday 28 January 1665/66
mountebank • Link
This is one of my favourite entries of the diary so far. It has it all, the whirlwind of business, the farcical events of the shitting mishap, the marking of his ascent in the hierarchy, and the many people and many places.
Reading this, in my mind's eye I could see it as a film. This one day alone would be enough to do a couple of hours worth on the small or big screen.
About Monday 18 September 1665
mountebank • Link
That's a helpful annotation Terry and answers the main question that occurred to me as I was reading through the entry: with such a haul of captured ships surely this was going to be a bonanza for Sandwich. Seems not.
About Sunday 17 September 1665
mountebank • Link
Sam's use of "Vacation" makes me wonder what arrangements there were for holiday. I suppose with his role being somewhat freelance, he could go away if he arranged time in his schedule. Although his "holidays" largely seem to be visiting family rather than going to somewhere interesting/relaxing to get away from it all.
About Sunday 10 September 1665
mountebank • Link
Like Adam wrote above a decade ago, this:
"but the receipt of this newes did put us all into such an extacy of joy, that it inspired into Sir J. Minnes and Mr. Evelyn such a spirit of mirth, that in all my life I never met with so merry a two hours as our company this night was"
made me immediately think that everyone is so wound up with death all about, the war, and other stresses, that a suitable trigger easily tips them into hysterical joy.
There have even been signs over the past couple of weeks of Pepys making jokes in the diary which is something that is often noticeably lacking.
About Friday 2 June 1665
mountebank • Link
Actually, having just searched for "petal" I'm reminded it is also used for grown up women, particularly when referring to a partner.
About Friday 2 June 1665
mountebank • Link
I do have a recollection of "flower" being used as a term of endearment for "girl" in British English. The word "petal" was and is used in that sense. Both being applied to young girls, hopefully much younger than Sam's "fairest flower".