Women were always blamed then for being 'barren". In fact, it was more likely Pepys' problem. He sired no child during his long life and we know he slept with many women. More likely Bess was a victim of his infertility. She may have been perfectly capable of bearing children with a fertile man.
Pricklouse! I love it. Bess apparently has a backbone! Unfortinately she was unfamiliar with the more appropriate word, "shithead".
Re: all thise ungrammatical and confusing sentences-- they are ungrammatical and confusing only from our point of view 400-500 years after they were written. But keep in mind, we are reading diary entries Sam never intended for public view. Presumably he knew what the sentences meant and he intended to be the only reader of them when he wrote them. We are the underhanded snoops and voyeurs and have no moral right to complain about his sentences or to speculate on the validity of his thoughts. (I admit I'm as guilty of snooping as anyone, but I try not to be overly critical.)
I wonder if Sam realizes the importance of a lady's partner on the dance floor to make her look good. Once the dance instructor has gone how well will she dance with Sam's two left feet?
On Sunday, 22 April Pepys wrote, "and after walking with my wife in the garden late, to supper and to bed, being somewhat troubled at Ashwell’s desiring and insisting over eagerly upon her going to a ball to meet some of her old companions at a dancing school here in town next Friday, but I am resolved she shall not go" and here it is Friday, and not a word is written about the dancing school or whether he stopped Ashwell from going (or was he talking about his wife? It isn't clear.) Nevertheless, nothing has been said. Now he writes that Ashwell "danced above in my upper best chamber" so she's not at the ball. Anyone know what's going on?
Lamprey Pie would have tasted like any fish pie made today, poached fish, with lots of butter, perhaps with some onions or "chalets" thrown in for good measure. Today it would be made with a layer of mashed potatoes on top, but in Sam's day it was probably encased in pastry.
The Southern live oak or simply "Live Oak" (Quercus virginiana) is an evergreen (or nearly so) oak tree native to the southeastern United States. The tree is a common sight in states like Virginia, Georgia, Florida, and Louisiana.
We also have Live Oaks in Southern California called quercus agrifolia.
"I did some little businesses, and so home again walking both forwards and backwards, as much along the street as we could to save going by water."
I took it to mean they walked both ways, and as he said, they did it to "save going by water." He doesn't say why he didn't want to go by water, possibly to save the fare, or perhaps to avoid the cold and "high wind," which would have been more unpleasant on a boat than on land.
Can someone do a demographic of the population of this pew? There's 2 Minnes, 2 Pepyses, and Ashwell---making 4 ladies' outfits (were they wearing hoops that year?) that we know of.
Hoop skirts did not come in until the 1800s, so if the pew was crowded it wasn't because of voluminous skirts. Perhaps hyperinflated egos were the problem. They have always been present in any social gathering, probably since the dawn if man.
Thanks to Tripleransom and Sue Nicholson for the information. I knew Sam's residence was in a building owned by the Navy but didn't know Sam's office was in the same building. That would explain the easy access. I do remember mention of the garden and Sam being pursued by bailiffs. Exciting!
"And here Mrs. The. shewed me my name upon her breast as her Valentine, which will cost me 20s."
What an odd custom. If it was MRS. The. she couldn't have been 11 years old. I see nothing that would imply that it was Mrs. The's daughter, rather than Mrs, The. who showed Sam's name upon her own breast. She's a married woman and he's a married man! What, pray tell, are the 20 shillings for? Blackmail?
"...rape of north america..." What hateful nonsense. The number of indigenous people in my state, Ohio, when white settlers enter could be seated in today's Ohio State University football stadium and they eager to trap, cut & burn to get white men's goods as white men were.
What, pray tell does it matter how many indigenous people were invaded in a particular area? Who were the invaders? Certainly not the indigenous people who, by all rights, were the rightful owners of the land known as America.
There would have been no cutting and burning to get white men's goods if they hadn't illegitimately invaded and stole "America" from the owners. Didn't the indigenous people have a right to attack the people invading their land!
Ruben wonders if we can "get back" to Pepys' London--but we haven't left it. It was Pepys himself who brought up "New England's masts," which makes the British invasion and rape of America a legitimate subject to be discussed here.
"I in the midst of them sad to think of the spending so much money and venturing upon the breach of my vow, which I found myself sorry for"
I wonder, would he not be so sorry for the breach of his vow if the plays were better?
As for the female dancers "bending their hams," I suspect he meant swinging their hips, which men don't do. He could easily have observed this--and enjoyed it--even though the women were "decently" clothed.
Comments
Second Reading
About Saturday 2 May 1663
Louise Hudson • Link
Women were always blamed then for being 'barren". In fact, it was more likely Pepys' problem. He sired no child during his long life and we know he slept with many women. More likely Bess was a victim of his infertility. She may have been perfectly capable of bearing children with a fertile man.
Pricklouse! I love it. Bess apparently has a backbone! Unfortinately she was unfamiliar with the more appropriate word, "shithead".
About Thursday 30 April 1663
Louise Hudson • Link
gave rise to a new English word, was not abolished until the early part of the present century.
I thought it was Lyons.
About Wednesday 29 April 1663
Louise Hudson • Link
Re: all thise ungrammatical and confusing sentences-- they are ungrammatical and confusing only from our point of view 400-500 years after they were written. But keep in mind, we are reading diary entries Sam never intended for public view. Presumably he knew what the sentences meant and he intended to be the only reader of them when he wrote them. We are the underhanded snoops and voyeurs and have no moral right to complain about his sentences or to speculate on the validity of his thoughts. (I admit I'm as guilty of snooping as anyone, but I try not to be overly critical.)
About Tuesday 28 April 1663
Louise Hudson • Link
I wonder if Sam realizes the importance of a lady's partner on the dance floor to make her look good. Once the dance instructor has gone how well will she dance with Sam's two left feet?
About Friday 24 April 1663
Louise Hudson • Link
". . . and is a boy that I and my wife love very well."
I shudder to think what he would do to him if they didn't "love" him. Would he kill him?
and
". . being the first day that I have spent so much to my pleasure a great while."
Was it the beating he gave the boy that gave him so much pleasure?
About Friday 24 April 1663
Louise Hudson • Link
On Sunday, 22 April Pepys wrote, "and after walking with my wife in the garden late, to supper and to bed, being somewhat troubled at Ashwell’s desiring and insisting over eagerly upon her going to a ball to meet some of her old companions at a dancing school here in town next Friday, but I am resolved she shall not go" and here it is Friday, and not a word is written about the dancing school or whether he stopped Ashwell from going (or was he talking about his wife? It isn't clear.) Nevertheless, nothing has been said. Now he writes that Ashwell "danced above in my upper best chamber" so she's not at the ball. Anyone know what's going on?
About Monday 13 April 1663
Louise Hudson • Link
"Up by five o’clock," but not betimes, today. I wonder if there's a cut-off.
About Saturday 4 April 1663
Louise Hudson • Link
Lamprey Pie would have tasted like any fish pie made today, poached fish, with lots of butter, perhaps with some onions or "chalets" thrown in for good measure. Today it would be made with a layer of mashed potatoes on top, but in Sam's day it was probably encased in pastry.
About Wednesday 1 April 1663
Louise Hudson • Link
The Southern live oak or simply "Live Oak" (Quercus virginiana) is an evergreen (or nearly so) oak tree native to the southeastern United States. The tree is a common sight in states like Virginia, Georgia, Florida, and Louisiana.
We also have Live Oaks in Southern California called quercus agrifolia.
About Saturday 28 March 1663
Louise Hudson • Link
"I did some little businesses, and so home again walking both forwards and backwards, as much along the street as we could to save going by water."
I took it to mean they walked both ways, and as he said, they did it to "save going by water." He doesn't say why he didn't want to go by water, possibly to save the fare, or perhaps to avoid the cold and "high wind," which would have been more unpleasant on a boat than on land.
About Sunday 15 March 1662/63
Louise Hudson • Link
Bradford on 15 Mar 2006 • Link • Flag
Can someone do a demographic of the population of this pew? There's 2 Minnes, 2 Pepyses, and Ashwell---making 4 ladies' outfits (were they wearing hoops that year?) that we know of.
Hoop skirts did not come in until the 1800s, so if the pew was crowded it wasn't because of voluminous skirts. Perhaps hyperinflated egos were the problem. They have always been present in any social gathering, probably since the dawn if man.
About Thursday 12 March 1662/63
Louise Hudson • Link
The word laryngitis was first used in the early 19th Century.
About Thursday 12 March 1662/63
Louise Hudson • Link
✹
A. De Araujo on 13 Mar 2006
"I being quite hoarse with it"
It is called laryngitis Sam.
---------
I doubt it was called that in Sam's time. The word probably hadn't yet been invented.
About Monday 9 March 1662/63
Louise Hudson • Link
Thanks to Tripleransom and Sue Nicholson for the information. I knew Sam's residence was in a building owned by the Navy but didn't know Sam's office was in the same building. That would explain the easy access. I do remember mention of the garden and Sam being pursued by bailiffs. Exciting!
About Monday 9 March 1662/63
Louise Hudson • Link
I wonder how far Sam's office is from his home. He seems to pop over there at all hours of the day and night without a second thought. Anyone know?
About Tuesday 3 March 1662/63
Louise Hudson • Link
If Mrs. The is 11, it t sounds as if she is being trained to be a prostitute!
About Tuesday 3 March 1662/63
Louise Hudson • Link
"And here Mrs. The. shewed me my name upon her breast as her Valentine, which will cost me 20s."
What an odd custom. If it was MRS. The. she couldn't have been 11 years old. I see nothing that would imply that it was Mrs. The's daughter, rather than Mrs, The. who showed Sam's name upon her own breast. She's a married woman and he's a married man! What, pray tell, are the 20 shillings for? Blackmail?
What strange goings on are these.
About Saturday 28 February 1662/63
Louise Hudson • Link
JWB wrote
"...rape of north america..."
What hateful nonsense. The number of indigenous people in my state, Ohio, when white settlers enter could be seated in today's Ohio State University football stadium and they eager to trap, cut & burn to get white men's goods as white men were.
What, pray tell does it matter how many indigenous people were invaded in a particular area? Who were the invaders? Certainly not the indigenous people who, by all rights, were the rightful owners of the land known as America.
There would have been no cutting and burning to get white men's goods if they hadn't illegitimately invaded and stole "America" from the owners. Didn't the indigenous people have a right to attack the people invading their land!
Ruben wonders if we can "get back" to Pepys' London--but we haven't left it. It was Pepys himself who brought up "New England's masts," which makes the British invasion and rape of America a legitimate subject to be discussed here.
About Wednesday 25 February 1662/63
Louise Hudson • Link
✹
dirk wrote:
"provision of several things against Lent"
With Ash Wednesday on 4 March, and Easter on 19 April, there's only a week left before Lent begins.
Would the food she bought last even a week with no refrigeration?
I doubt that Londoners had ice boxes and ice delivery in 1663. I'm thinking that ice boxes weren't around until the 19th century.
About Monday 23 February 1662/63
Louise Hudson • Link
"I in the midst of them sad to think of the spending so much money and venturing upon the breach of my vow, which I found myself sorry for"
I wonder, would he not be so sorry for the breach of his vow if the plays were better?
As for the female dancers "bending their hams," I suspect he meant swinging their hips, which men don't do. He could easily have observed this--and enjoyed it--even though the women were "decently" clothed.