Phil C.

Annotations and comments

Phil C. has posted 19 annotations/comments since 1 February 2016.

The most recent first…

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Third Reading

About Monday 7 May 1660

Phil C.  •  Link

So interesting to be reading these entries at the time of King Charles III's coronation!

Second Reading

About Monday 17 May 1669

Phil C.  •  Link

Thanks Sam, that’s a great article, though I’ll need a dictionary to understand it! A shame science hadn’t advanced enough to help him.

About Thursday 21 May 1668

Phil C.  •  Link

Oops, I see Terry Foreman had already posted about Merton Abbey. I wonder what the building was like...

About Thursday 21 May 1668

Phil C.  •  Link

I think the link for Martin Abbey might be incorrect, it leads to Merton Priory, which I think was already just a ruin. A search for Martin Abbey, Surrey, brings up a link in the National Archives for the Will of Mary Wilson, Widow of Martin Abbey, dated 3rd October 1662. Perhaps her descendants sold it to Pepys... However though you can download a facsimile I can’t see an address at a first glance.

About Saturday 21 July 1666

Phil C.  •  Link

Why would extra men be going on these ships, that are heading out to sea to a battle? For the excitement?

About Sunday 15 July 1666

Phil C.  •  Link

I’m surprised that it’s safe enough in London that a well dressed man, with new shoes, can lay down and sleep in the park. Was it a “members-only” park in those days?

About Tuesday 6 February 1665/66

Phil C.  •  Link

What made me laugh here is Samuel having to take things back to the store for exchange or refund, because his wife didn’t approve of what he’d chosen. How very like my own home life!

About Saturday 20 January 1665/66

Phil C.  •  Link

What, am I the only one here who would punish someone sent to get papers who decided to stop for lunch? Nowadays they would face firing or an end to any chance of promotion: a clip round the ear-hole might be preferable.

About Friday 15 December 1665

Phil C.  •  Link

I side with Todd here, regarding “a pretty reproach, I thought”. Sam recognises a valid point well made, which is why he chooses not to get engaged here.

About Sunday 16 July 1665

Phil C.  •  Link

San Diego Sarah - "After Mr. Carteret was carried to his chamber, we to prayers again and then to bed."

He was so drunk he had to be carried early to bed? ... too tired? ... too stressed?

Too lame, I think. Perhaps he can’t get up stairs - do we know how lame he is?

About Wednesday 24 May 1665

Phil C.  •  Link

I’m pretty sure we played the “Ring around the Roses” game in the school playground at lunchtimes when I was a little kid in Sussex around 1959: though I remember we sang “Ring a ring of roses”... it was pretty clear that after sneezing you fell down dead.
One of my favourite books which I recommend to readers here is “The Lore And Language of Schoolchildren” by Iona & Peter Opie, published in 1959. I couldn’t find my parents original copy but I have a copy republished by New York Review Books so it may be available. It’s fascinating - some rhymes are many centuries old, and traditions are passed from child to child as if through an underground network.
Pepys is mentioned on page 2: “One of the strangest things I ever heard”.

About Monday 15 May 1665

Phil C.  •  Link

There is a really good musical group at the moment in the UK - The Unthanks: two sisters whose real name is Unthank (no e). Their website lists a few other places with the name, including Portland, Oregon; but no mention of Pepys...

http://www.the-unthanks.com/about…

About Between a Son and His Father: Sam's Letter to John Sr regarding Brampton

Phil C.  •  Link

I read the following passage differently from Jeanine, above...
"study of thrift and quietnesse, that I may heare noe more of those differences, which to my great griefe I have of late understood doe often arise betweene you. From whence they come I know not, nor am willing to enquire, But this I know, that it did not use to bee soe, not I trust in god will bee here after".
I thought this is not Pepys saying that he doesn't want to be told about his parents disagreements any more, but rather as a loving and concerned son he wishes his parents could get along together the way they had in the past.
This shows him in a much better light, trying to discreetly give marriage counselling to his parents - always a delicate task!

About Saturday 21 March 1662/63

Phil C.  •  Link

I disagree, I think it is Captain Holmes who has "carried himself very much unbecoming him", not Master Cooper, who isn't there. Holmes has lost his temper and spoken "ill-mannerdly", as the others all agree (after he has left the room!), making threatening remarks to Pepys for having pointed that out to him. Quite ballsy of Sam all round at this meeting.

About Saturday 31 January 1662/63

Phil C.  •  Link

It occurs to me that Elizabeth doesn't know if or when Sam will be coming home for a meal; why prepare a meal and throw it away.

About Saturday 31 January 1662/63

Phil C.  •  Link

In the example that Pedro gives (nine years ago!) - “Some people in our village still go to church, but less/fewer than 20 years ago.” - the choice of less or fewer alters the meaning. "Less" would mean that while there could be the same number of people going to church, some have cut down on the frequency with which they attend; but "fewer" can only mean attendance has dropped.

I don't understand why Sam is so often unhappy about the size of his meal. All I can think is that Elizabeth doesn't have enough money, in which case I wonder how their housekeeping finances were handled. Is Sam not providing enough? Perhaps it's given to Elizabeth weekly and it's running out by the end of the week. Or Elizabeth is spending it on something else?