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Sunday 20 May 1660

Up early, and with Mr. Pickering and the child by waggon to Scheveling, where it not being yet fit to go off, I went to lie down in a chamber in the house, where in another bed there was a pretty Dutch woman in bed alone, but though I had a month’s-mind1 I had not the boldness to go to her. So there I slept an hour or two. At last she rose, and then I rose and walked up and down the chamber, and saw her dress herself after the Dutch dress, and talked to her as much as I could, and took occasion, from her ring which she wore on her first finger, to kiss her hand, but had not the face to offer anything more. So at last I left her there and went to my company. About 8 o’clock I went into the church at Scheveling, which was pretty handsome, and in the chancel a very great upper part of the mouth of a whale, which indeed was of a prodigious bigness, bigger than one of our long boats that belong to one of our ships. Commissioner Pett at last came to our lodging, and caused the boats to go off; so some in one boat and some in another we all bid adieu to the shore. But through badness of weather we were in great danger, and a great while before we could get to the ship, so that of all the company not one but myself that was not sick. I keeping myself in the open air, though I was soundly wet for it. This hath not been known four days together such weather at this time of year, a great while. Indeed our fleet was thought to be in great danger, but we found all well, and Mr. Thos. Crew came on board. I having spoke a word or two with my Lord, being not very well settled, partly through last night’s drinking and want of sleep, I lay down in my gown upon my bed and slept till the 4 o’clock gun the next morning waked me, which I took for 8 at night, and rising … mistook the sun rising for the sun setting on Sunday night.

  1. Month’s-mind. An earnest desire or longing, explained as alluding to “a woman’s longing.” See Shakespeare, “Two Gentlemen of Verona,” act i. sc. 2:
    “I see you have a month’s mind to them.”

    —M. B.

Monday 21 May 1660Saturday 19 May 1660

11°C / 52°F
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  • N language hat on Wed 21 May 2003, 12:58am

    month’s-mind:
    Nothing to do with women. It’s a pun on the religious meaning (translating Latin dies mensis):
    1. Chiefly R.C. Church. The commemoration of a deceased person by the celebration of a requiem mass, prayers, etc., on a day one month from the date of the death or funeral.
    Hence:
    2. Used allusively or humorously as a synonym for MIND n.1 14: an inclination, fancy, liking. Esp. in “to have (also bear) a month’s mind”. “to be in a month’s mind”: to have a strong expectation (rare). Now regional.
    1580 J. LYLY Euphues (1868) 464 Determininge to ende his lyfe in Athens, although he hadde a moneths minde to England. 1598 BP. J. HALL Virgidemiarvm IV. iv. 34 He thaw’s like Chaucers frosty Ianiuere; And sets a Months minde vpon smyling May. 1660 S. PEPYS Diary 20 May (1970) I. 150 In another bed there was a pretty Duch woman..but though I had a month’s mind to her, I had not the boldness to go to her. 1700 W. CONGREVE Way of World III. i. 37 She has a Month’s mind; but I know Mr. Mirabell can’t abide her. 1755 J. SHEBBEARE Lydia (1769) II. 76 This baronet then had a month’s mind to the Dowager Viscountess. 1956 P. O’BRIAN Golden Ocean (1996) iii. 61 I’ve got a month’s mind to have you keel-hauled.

    “slept till the 4 o

  • N Paul Brewster on Wed 21 May 2003, 01:35am

    rising [to piss] mistook the sun rising for the sun setting on Sunday night
    per L&M

    Appropriately this day like several others we have seen continues to the next with only a marginal notation of the day. Again per L&M.

  • N Paul Brewster on Wed 21 May 2003, 01:39am

    where in another bed there was a pretty Dutch woman
    L&M notes that “Bedrooms at inns (English as well as Dutch) were often occupied by several people of both sexes who were stangers to each other and incidents of this sort were not uncommon.”

  • N Paul Brewster on Wed 21 May 2003, 02:32am

    month

  • N Mike Bursell on Wed 21 May 2003, 10:01am

    Well, it seems that Sam’s definitely got his sea-legs, then!

  • N Glyn on Wed 21 May 2003, 06:35pm

    Todd Bernhardt (on 15 May) wrote that Sam is working with very little sleep at the moment, but now his irregular sleeping patterns have finally caught up with him: he’s obviously extremely tired. He gets up very early (if at first light then that’s at about 4 a.m.), travels some distance, takes a nap for a couple of hours until 8 a.m. then goes to church, sightsees and travels back to his ship where he has to take another nap, but this one lasts at least 8 hours longer than he expected (waking up at 4 a.m. rather than 8 p.m.) then going back to sleep again. His body clock has gone haywire, and if this was the present day I’d say he was jet-lagged.

  • N mw on Wed 21 May 2003, 09:18pm

    I love the “Months’ mind”.
    I will add it to my lexicon immediately.
    Pepys being able to sleep with his “months mind” is an indication of just how tied he is. That and his subsequent day confusion points to a very tied chap. Well done Todd.

    Pepys, “Where is your time piece?”
    I have been as tied but only confused when, on waking I could not glance at my watch.

    Phil I’m enjoying the new editorial facility. Thanks

  • N johng on Thu 22 May 2003, 01:44pm

    What were the social conventions to govern behaviour in shared bedrooms in inns?

  • N vincent on Thu 22 May 2003, 09:18pm

    Behaviour: from free love to no love ‘tis part of the revolution ;Puritans(Pure to puritanical) :the popists to free thinkers : take ones pick based on where ones brain is at on the spine; at the top or bottom:

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Monday 21 May 1660Saturday 19 May 1660