"sluttish dinner" Meanings change over time, Nicolas.
From the OED: sluttish, a. 2. Of things: Unclean, dirty, grimy; untidy. 1549 Coverdale, etc. Erasm. Par. 2 Tim. 23 In sluttishe clothes, with a countrefaicte grauitie of countenaunce,‥they conueye them selues in to other mens houses. 1553 Respublica iii. vi. 853 Suche hongrye doggs will slabbe vp sluttishe puddinges. 1599 Davies Immort. Soul Introd. xxxiii. (1714) 9 The Man loves least at Home to be, That hath a sluttish House. 1617 Moryson Itin. iii. 180 Their wives‥are attired in a sluttish gowne. 1665 Sir T. Herbert Trav. (1677) 311 Some boil the cream in a raw skin, so as it is commonly very sluttish, full of hairs and unsalted. [...]
compound, v. II. To compose differences, settle claims. (intr.) 10. to agree, make terms, bargain, contract (with, for). Also with indirect passive. Obs.
[A slew of similar meanings, all marked obsolete.]
Methinks that "little Michell" was used as a term of endearment (below from the OED) and not to belittle. Until recently, the phrase "the little woman" was used to denote a wife without belittlement.
3. Used to convey an implication of endearment or depreciation, or of tender feeling on the part of the speaker. Also coupled with an epithet expressing such feelings, e.g. pretty, sweet little. 1567 Satir. Poems Reform. iii. 154 The wois that Ouid in Ibin Into his pretty lytill buik did wryte. 1590 Shakes. Mids. N. iii. i. 204 And when she weepes, weepe euerie little flower. 1596 ― Merch. V. v. i. 21 In such a night Did pretty Iessica (like a little shrow) Slander her Loue. 1597 ― 2 Hen. IV, ii. iv. 225, I prethee Iack be quiet, the Rascall is gone: ah, you whorson little valiant Villaine, you. 1694 Wood Life 23 June, I returned from London in the company of a little poore thing, Sir Lacy Osbaldeston. 1819 Shelley Cyclops 246 My dear sweet master, My darling little Cyclops. [...]
Terry F., another possibility is Paspalum Staggers (also due to neurotoxins produced by fungi in the grass: https://www.merckvetmanual.com/to…). Recovery is typically spontaneous so the horrible methods inflicted on the horses had no benefit. I must say that, in over 50y involvement with (non-racing) horses, I have never encountered staggers nor ever met someone who had encountered it.
Carriage suspension is fascinating (maybe because I have suffered riding in a few wagons with no suspension). I have no good reference as to when leaf or coil springs were first used but according to Boyer, "Mediaeval Suspended Carriages" (https://www.jstor.org/stable/2850…), the first suspended carriages were suspended by chains and appeared in the 14th century.
Navy debt of over 950,000l is certainly eye-popping, with today's equivalents discussed in our encyclopedia entry "Values today" (https://www.pepysdiary.com/encycl…).
Thank you for the note, Mary K. There has been (and is) much debate about how much of Defoe's Journal is authentic and how much is imagination but that rings true.
Well, Carl, our road was only paved two years ago. In summer, the dust clouds from passing vehicles could be seen at some distance and all were covered in dust. (Winter was better in that snow filled in the holes.) Riding in an open carriage would not have been pleasant.
Comments
Second Reading
About Monday 16 September 1667
john • Link
"sluttish dinner"
Meanings change over time, Nicolas.
From the OED:
sluttish, a.
2. Of things: Unclean, dirty, grimy; untidy.
1549 Coverdale, etc. Erasm. Par. 2 Tim. 23 In sluttishe clothes, with a countrefaicte grauitie of countenaunce,‥they conueye them selues in to other mens houses. 1553 Respublica iii. vi. 853 Suche hongrye doggs will slabbe vp sluttishe puddinges. 1599 Davies Immort. Soul Introd. xxxiii. (1714) 9 The Man loves least at Home to be, That hath a sluttish House. 1617 Moryson Itin. iii. 180 Their wives‥are attired in a sluttish gowne. 1665 Sir T. Herbert Trav. (1677) 311 Some boil the cream in a raw skin, so as it is commonly very sluttish, full of hairs and unsalted. [...]
About Wednesday 11 September 1667
john • Link
The link to the Swordbearer of London is now here: https://www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/a…
About Monday 9 September 1667
john • Link
"where I stood a good while all alone among the bulls, and was afeard I was among the bears, too"
Well, unless the bulls were tied up in stalls, I would not care to stand amongst the bulls, either.
About Sunday 8 September 1667
john • Link
From the OED:
compound, v.
II. To compose differences, settle claims.
(intr.)
10. to agree, make terms, bargain, contract (with, for). Also with indirect passive. Obs.
[A slew of similar meanings, all marked obsolete.]
About Saturday 7 September 1667
john • Link
L&M saw fit to include "trill" in the diary volume's local vocabulary (with the same meaning as today). I would not have thought trill to be uncommon.
About Sunday 1 September 1667
john • Link
Elizabeth bought the cuffs and expected Pepys to pay for them. She knows him more than he realizes.
About Sunday 1 September 1667
john • Link
Methinks that "little Michell" was used as a term of endearment (below from the OED) and not to belittle. Until recently, the phrase "the little woman" was used to denote a wife without belittlement.
3. Used to convey an implication of endearment or depreciation, or of tender feeling on the part of the speaker. Also coupled with an epithet expressing such feelings, e.g. pretty, sweet little.
1567 Satir. Poems Reform. iii. 154 The wois that Ouid in Ibin Into his pretty lytill buik did wryte. 1590 Shakes. Mids. N. iii. i. 204 And when she weepes, weepe euerie little flower. 1596 ― Merch. V. v. i. 21 In such a night Did pretty Iessica (like a little shrow) Slander her Loue. 1597 ― 2 Hen. IV, ii. iv. 225, I prethee Iack be quiet, the Rascall is gone: ah, you whorson little valiant Villaine, you. 1694 Wood Life 23 June, I returned from London in the company of a little poore thing, Sir Lacy Osbaldeston. 1819 Shelley Cyclops 246 My dear sweet master, My darling little Cyclops. [...]
About Thursday 29 August 1667
john • Link
"find how the mistake arose, by the ill copying of it out"
One wonders how often this happened.
About Thursday 22 August 1667
john • Link
Thank you for the clarification, SDS.
About Thursday 22 August 1667
john • Link
"so that we are forced only to make a show of severity by keeping them in prison, but are unable to punish them."
The good side of Pepys here. I presume that punishment here refers to corporal punishment.
About Sunday 18 August 1667
john • Link
Terry F., another possibility is Paspalum Staggers (also due to neurotoxins produced by fungi in the grass: https://www.merckvetmanual.com/to…). Recovery is typically spontaneous so the horrible methods inflicted on the horses had no benefit. I must say that, in over 50y involvement with (non-racing) horses, I have never encountered staggers nor ever met someone who had encountered it.
About Wednesday 14 August 1667
john • Link
Batch, I would call Elizabeth the chatelaine of the family.
About Thursday 8 August 1667
john • Link
Carriage suspension is fascinating (maybe because I have suffered riding in a few wagons with no suspension). I have no good reference as to when leaf or coil springs were first used but according to Boyer, "Mediaeval Suspended Carriages" (https://www.jstor.org/stable/2850…), the first suspended carriages were suspended by chains and appeared in the 14th century.
About Saturday 3 August 1667
john • Link
Navy debt of over 950,000l is certainly eye-popping, with today's equivalents discussed in our encyclopedia entry "Values today" (https://www.pepysdiary.com/encycl…).
About Thursday 1 August 1667
john • Link
Thank you for the note, Mary K. There has been (and is) much debate about how much of Defoe's Journal is authentic and how much is imagination but that rings true.
About Monday 29 July 1667
john • Link
"so they are all mad; and thus the kingdom is governed!"
Perhaps this is a good summary of the situation.
About Wednesday 24 July 1667
john • Link
From the sinking of two men-of-war to a retreat -- how many now believe the official versions anymore?
About Tuesday 23 July 1667
john • Link
Nothing like a Dutch reminder to move the peace treaty along.
About Wednesday 17 July 1667
john • Link
Michael, Pepys did not live in an age when one could simply visit a medical clinic. I, for one, have no objection of his recording his problems.
About Thursday 18 July 1667
john • Link
Well, Carl, our road was only paved two years ago. In summer, the dust clouds from passing vehicles could be seen at some distance and all were covered in dust. (Winter was better in that snow filled in the holes.) Riding in an open carriage would not have been pleasant.