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Tuesday 26 March 1661

Up early to do business in my study. This is my great day that three years ago I was cut of the stone, and, blessed be God, I do yet find myself very free from pain again. All this morning I staid at home looking after my workmen to my great content about my stairs, and at noon by coach to my father’s, where Mrs. Turner, The, Joyce, Mr. Morrice, Mr. Armiger, Mr. Pierce, the surgeon, and his wife, my father and mother, and myself and my wife. Very merry at dinner; among other things, because Mrs. Turner and her company eat no flesh at all this Lent, and I had a great deal of good flesh which made their mouths water. After dinner Mrs. Pierce and her husband and I and my wife to Salisbury Court, where coming late he and she light of Col. Boone that made room for them, and I and my wife sat in the pit, and there met with Mr. Lewes and Tom Whitton, and saw “The Bondman” done to admiration. So home by coach, and after a view of what the workmen had done to-day I went to bed.

Wednesday 27 March 1661Monday 25 March 1661

6°C / 43°F
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Annotations

  • Sam being a bit of a devil this Lenten season, eh?

    You can just see the non-meat-eaters squirming in their chairs.

  • “a great deal of good flesh which made their mouths water”
    Having fun with the vegans again, eh, Sam? Tsk, tsk.
    Puts me in mind of Albert Finney sucking and slurping chicken bones in Tom Jones.

  • he and she light of Collonell Boone, that made room for them;
    My guess is that the word light is used in the following sense from the OED:
    “light, v
    II. To descend. Cf. alight v.1

    10. To have a particular place of incidence or arrival.
    … d. Of persons. to light on or upon (or

  • “After dinner Mrs. Pierce and her husband and I and my wife to Salisbury Court”

    Here’s one of those rare occasions that Sam mentions having his wife along at a play. Also the third time this month he’s been to see The Bondman, no doubt with Betterton playing the lead once again. Perhaps Sam suggested the play so he could share the experience with his wife and friends? Betterton’s popularity is especially impressive when you realize he has acted for less than a year at this point.

  • light (6)vi ME lighten fr. OE lihtan; 1:dismount;2: settle, alight akin [to a bird lit on the lawn]3: to fall unexpectedly 4: to arrive by chance: to happen upon [lit on a solution] [to attack ] {in my salad days; which was a popular expression, I lit into him, leaving him bloody}

  • I have a feeling Sam was feeling pretty good in celebration of 3 years after “the stone”. You couldn’t blame him for being a devil with the others eating “flesh”. What a tease!

  • Are you supposed to give up meat for lent? I thought you could give up anything. What is he doing that’s bad in any way?

  • Lent

    Re - Garbo

    Nowadays there is general agreement among most churches that what you say is acceptable for Lent. (Although the Orthodox churches used to be more severe on this matter - wonder if they still are?) Up to something like 50 yrs ago however “keeping Lent” was far more rigid. In principle that is - some people didn’t necessarily take it all that seriously, although social sanctioning was strong. You were expected to fast. This meant only specific types of food were allowed, the most important issue being that you shouldn’t eat meat (replace it by fish) - with a possible exception for sundays (we haven’t quite cleared up on that yet).

    And of course you shouldn’t lead anybody into temptation by praising the meat you had earlier, in front of people who are trying earnestly to stick to their fast.

    For further info on Lent, browse thru the background info. You’ll find a lot more there.

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