Daily entries from the 17th century London diary
Up betimes and to White Hall to a Committee of Tangier, and so straight home and hard to my business at my office till noon, then to dinner, and so to my office, and by and by we sat all the afternoon, then to my office again till past one in the morning, and so home to supper and to bed.
Friday 2 December 1664Wednesdsay 30 November 1664
Slow news day today.
Yet it speaks volumes, you know? I know I’ve had plenty of nose-to-the-grindstone days like this … it seems that at least things went right, otherwise he would have vented to the Diary about any problems (Batten, Minnes, etc.) that he encountered…
In the House of Commons this day
Salt Marshes.
Ordered, That the Bill for settling Marshes and Marsh Grounds, lying near the Sea, be read the Second time To-morrow Morning. http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=26678#s3
Careful about draining the wetlands: this practice foreshadows Katrina.
salt marshes abounded the east side of London, luverly breeding ground for wot ails ye [the ague], the south bank of the tems be soggy , nice breeding ground for the winchester geese, then many parts of England were bogged. One of the great bogs [fens] was to be attacked by those scurry Dutch who luved to turn soggy land into productive land, they having practiced that function around the Zyder Zee , it be less expensive that trying to conquer the Flemings and other German lands. Their still be tell tale signs of the bogs in and around London.
The Fens was a success as it provides even to-day rich fertile soil for the veggies for those that cannot abide deer meat.
London needed foodstuff and the means to get enough to feed the ever growing population.
see a map of London town [c 1663], it was full of lands for milk maids and their [moo] partners, but they were being squeezed out.
Progress was everywhere, People asking questions , like what be the wind, what be light, how do we get water up the hill , how to get water from those peskey people in Ware, need more turkeys, need more masts, need more soap, need more taxis to carry people around town, on and on.
Up betimes and not home for supper til past one a.m.
Sam’s obviously burning the candle at both ends, but what about the servants? By the time they have cleared away the supper things there would only be a few hours for sleep before getting up to light the fires. Perhaps they worked in shifts.
“Up by 5 o’clock, which I have not been many a day,” 26 Aug
“Up betimes, intending to do business at my office, by 5 o’clock” 29 Aug
“Up by five o’clock and to my office” 31 Aug
In late summer he seems resolved “betimes” being in the office @ 5AM. Then there was “mighty betimes” @ 4 in Oct.
Those who followed Michael Robinson’s link to Ravenscroft’s Psalter, http://www.pbm.com/~lindahl/ravenscroft/psalter, would have seen a 1621 version of a “manicule”-the pointing index finger. For a history of this artifact see William Sherman’s essay here:
http://www.livesandletters.ac.uk/papers/FOR_2005_04_002.html
I’m betting he’s not quite up betimes tomorrow.
Martin: I don’t know, but eating supper just before bed will lead to acid reflux in the esophagus which, in turn, will make one want to be erect in about 4 hours.
What about poor Bess? Must be grim having Sam show at 1am after early morning wakeup. I know my poor wife had much trouble with my 4:00/30 am risings and midnights plus to bed till I managed to work out getting out quietly. Sam must use the old “I do it all for you, dear”…It keeps her from killing me, anyway.
(Not that quiet, sweetie, she says.)
No discussion yet of the new conquest in America, I see? Surely the Navy Board will be asked regarding the naval defense of their boss’ new prize and namesake. Is it still too early for news to have reached London?
“…new conquest in America..” that volcanic rock with a wall to keep out the stock raiders. Who then saw profit in that , the Dutch did not, they thought the Spice islands infinitely worth more.
But it divide the seaboard so a nice bead to put on the chain.
“What good is it?”
“Your Grace, it’s a heck of a town, I’m told.”
“Yes…” York studies map of namesake. “But what’s this with the Bronx being down and the Battery being up…It doesn’t scan. Change it.”
“Yes, Your Grace.” Coventry makes note. “Bronx up, Battery down.”