Re: "it’s white-collar crime..." It is true that double standards are at work, but Pepys probably wouldn't agree. His money from his dealings for the King is his "commission". He does a job, and takes a cut. This is what anyone with the word "agent" in their job title does nowadays. The difference is that Pepys negotiates his own cut and the King doesn't know about it (or does he?) On the other hand, the Bargemen have stolen equipment from a Royal Dockyard, which could have been required for a ship to sail to defend the realm. The King doesn't get anything in return, as he does from Pepys. I don't think we are talking about a piece of string to hold their trousers up; this cordage is probably for use on their own barges, or for selling on, thus potentially saving/making them a large amount of money. They are "lucky" this was seen as simple theft and not sabotage, as it would then be treason. Stealing Naval equipment from a military dockyard in time of war is pretty stupid, whereas profiteering from war is your patriotic duty, it seems. Some things don't change.
Re: Roy/Royde. Wheatley looks more accurate than L&M in one respect: raide (royde) means stiff, roi (roy) means king. Baston is odd too. Old spelling of bâton = stick/wand not stone (pierre). Royde come un Baston = Raide comme un bâton = Stiff as a stick? Did Pepys use shorthand for French or clear text? If the latter, then t and l could be confused, as LH suggests, but why would he use clear French to describe his peccadillos, which his French speaking wife could easily read? Puzzling.
Baiser, in modern French, is a difficult word for foreigners to get right. It definitely means kiss in many senses, e.g. baiser le main (kiss the hand), Baisers Volés (Stolen Kisses - Truffaut film), and I love the French saying "Chaque baiser est un monde à explorer" (Each kiss is a world to be explored). it can also mean intercourse in other senses, especially used in the first person, e.g baise-moi, je te baise, etc Personally, I avoid it and used embrasser (verb) or bissou (noun) However, put baisant into Google Translate and it only gives you one meaning, and I suspect it is the one Sam means.
The London Museum is located at the junction of London Wall and Aldersgate Street (see map). This has permanent exhibitions concerning Restoration London and the Great Fire, as well as the occassional special exhibitions about Samuel Pepys.
The old Victorian music hall song "Any Old Iron" - revived by Peter Sellers in the 1960's - contains the line: "..but, I wouldn't give you tuppence fer yer old watch chain. Old iron! Old iron!" So it seems to be a dismissive phrase that has weathered inflation and was used in the 17th, 19th, 20th and 21st centuries at least
Oranje vs Urania Pedro, I was hoping one of our Dutch annotators would comment. From my imperfect knowledge of Dutch pronunciation, I believe the j is pronounced like English y, e.g. jacht - yacht, and the final e is voiced. To an English ear Oranje could sound like Urania, especially if we assume the initial U is pronounced uh - as in Urdu, not yu - as in urine.
Pointer to spoiler. "...if by the end of the Diary if Mama is still around we can pretty much rule out Alzheimer’s" Clicking on the link above and reading Pauline's annotation gives the date of her death, but I don't think in this case it gives any clue to Alzheimer's or not. Besides, not all dementia is Alzheimer's, and we only have her loving son's word that she is actually in her dotage.
Trouble in the family. I read this to mean that there was a past history of "doating" in Mrs Pepys' family, i.e she doted in her discourse through (because of) 1) age, and 2) a family history of dotage. Trouble, as in troubled mind, can be a euphamism for mental turmoil. I am not claiming that Mrs Pepys was in her dotage, or that my reading is the correct one, but offer it as a possibility.
American Mother's day has only been celebrated since 1908. (see Wikipedia for details) The British Mothering Sunday, celebrated since the 16th century, is the fourth Sunday in Lent, so 3 weeks before Easter Sunday, and long past. So unfortunately, no synchronicity between Pepys' mother arriving and British Mother's day.
Povey's behaviour. Could Sam and Mercer be embarassed because of Povey's age (50)? Should he be "old enough to know better"? Perhaps they see him as a dirty old man - whereas Sam is a dirty young man. It was ever thus; people one's parent's age aren't allowed to letch.
Stephen, As the sun is over the Tropic of Cancer in midsummer (and close to it at the end of May) and the Tropic of Capricorn in midwinter, both of which are considerably far south of the most southern part of Britain, it can never appear in the northern sky, whatever time of day. Between the Tropics the sun can appear in either the northern or southern skies, but nowhere else. Britain is NOT Tropical!
Thanks Phil. A really useful enhancement. Well done.
I can confirm that in IE7, links on the left margin cause the pop-up to flash in and out of existence too quickly to read, but resizing the text (scroll wheel) seems to cure it - even when resized to the original size.
"my promise ... not to lie in bed a quarter of an hour after my first waking" I hope this applies only to work days, and not to his Lord's Day "lay abed long with my wife"
It is unlikely that the Cotswolds were named after a Mr Codswald, more likely that he was named after the birthplace of his ancestors. English place names named after people are common, but ancient and not quite so obvious, e.g. Nottingham is the village of Snotte's people. People, recognisably, named after places is much more common (Washington, Lincoln, Clinton, etc.) Wold, Weald and similar are common parts of English place names (North Wold, The Weald, etc.) and can mean both a wooded area or a deforested rolling plain - both of which exist in the Cotswolds. Whether Cot- is from a sheep cote, dovecote, cottage, someone's name, or something else, I wouldn't hazard a guess, but again it is a common part of English place names, e.g. Bevercotes, Swadlingcote, Cottingham. Maybe LH can come up with a more definitive etymology, but British place name etymology is notoriously difficult to pin down because of the many different language roots involved. (Roman, Celtic, Viking, Germanic, Norman, etc, etc.)
"...confirms her in an opinion that I am growne proud.” This is pride as one of the seven deadly sins; the pride that cometh before a fall; not pride in a job well done. Today we might say he is up himself; has ideas above his station. Mrs Turner is upset that Pepys now thinks himself above their company - growne proud - and points out he missed a great feast. While Pepys agrees that might be the case, frankly my dears, he doesn't give a damn.
"...did offer to give me a piece to receive of me 20 when he proves the late news of the Dutch..." This sounds like a bet, but at very poor odds, i.e. "If I'm right Pepys, you give me 20 pieces, but if you're right I'll give you one piece." No wonder Pepys didn't take him up on it. If Atkins was so certain of his facts, the odds would have been the other way around. Any other explanations?
George Downing built and named Downing street, though it wasn't completed until 2 years after his death. It wasn't until 1732 though that Sir Robert Walpole, as First Lord of the Treasury (old title for Prime Minister) was given number 10, and his deputy, the 2nd Lord of the Treasury, number 11. Though the titles later changed to Prime Minister and Chancellor of the Exchequer, the holders still retain the old titles too. A bit of history here: http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/abo…
Comments
First Reading
About Saturday 5 August 1665
GrahamT • Link
Re: "it’s white-collar crime..."
It is true that double standards are at work, but Pepys probably wouldn't agree. His money from his dealings for the King is his "commission". He does a job, and takes a cut. This is what anyone with the word "agent" in their job title does nowadays. The difference is that Pepys negotiates his own cut and the King doesn't know about it (or does he?)
On the other hand, the Bargemen have stolen equipment from a Royal Dockyard, which could have been required for a ship to sail to defend the realm. The King doesn't get anything in return, as he does from Pepys. I don't think we are talking about a piece of string to hold their trousers up; this cordage is probably for use on their own barges, or for selling on, thus potentially saving/making them a large amount of money.
They are "lucky" this was seen as simple theft and not sabotage, as it would then be treason.
Stealing Naval equipment from a military dockyard in time of war is pretty stupid, whereas profiteering from war is your patriotic duty, it seems. Some things don't change.
About Monday 31 July 1665
GrahamT • Link
Re: Roy/Royde.
Wheatley looks more accurate than L&M in one respect: raide (royde) means stiff, roi (roy) means king. Baston is odd too. Old spelling of bâton = stick/wand not stone (pierre).
Royde come un Baston = Raide comme un bâton = Stiff as a stick?
Did Pepys use shorthand for French or clear text? If the latter, then t and l could be confused, as LH suggests, but why would he use clear French to describe his peccadillos, which his French speaking wife could easily read?
Puzzling.
About Monday 3 July 1665
GrahamT • Link
Baiser, in modern French, is a difficult word for foreigners to get right. It definitely means kiss in many senses, e.g. baiser le main (kiss the hand), Baisers Volés (Stolen Kisses - Truffaut film), and I love the French saying "Chaque baiser est un monde à explorer" (Each kiss is a world to be explored).
it can also mean intercourse in other senses, especially used in the first person, e.g baise-moi, je te baise, etc
Personally, I avoid it and used embrasser (verb) or bissou (noun)
However, put baisant into Google Translate and it only gives you one meaning, and I suspect it is the one Sam means.
About London Wall
GrahamT • Link
The London Museum is located at the junction of London Wall and Aldersgate Street (see map).
This has permanent exhibitions concerning Restoration London and the Great Fire, as well as the occassional special exhibitions about Samuel Pepys.
About Monday 26 June 1665
GrahamT • Link
Ahh, CGS has the bit between his teeth on this one. (sorry, couldn't resist)
About Sunday 18 June 1665
GrahamT • Link
The old Victorian music hall song "Any Old Iron" - revived by Peter Sellers in the 1960's - contains the line:
"..but, I wouldn't give you tuppence fer yer old watch chain. Old iron! Old iron!"
So it seems to be a dismissive phrase that has weathered inflation and was used in the 17th, 19th, 20th and 21st centuries at least
About Thursday 8 June 1665
GrahamT • Link
Oranje vs Urania
Pedro, I was hoping one of our Dutch annotators would comment. From my imperfect knowledge of Dutch pronunciation, I believe the j is pronounced like English y, e.g. jacht - yacht, and the final e is voiced. To an English ear Oranje could sound like Urania, especially if we assume the initial U is pronounced uh - as in Urdu, not yu - as in urine.
About Tuesday 30 May 1665
GrahamT • Link
Pointer to spoiler.
"...if by the end of the Diary if Mama is still around we can pretty much rule out Alzheimer’s"
Clicking on the link above and reading Pauline's annotation gives the date of her death, but I don't think in this case it gives any clue to Alzheimer's or not.
Besides, not all dementia is Alzheimer's, and we only have her loving son's word that she is actually in her dotage.
About Wednesday 10 May 1665
GrahamT • Link
Trouble in the family.
I read this to mean that there was a past history of "doating" in Mrs Pepys' family, i.e she doted in her discourse through (because of) 1) age, and 2) a family history of dotage. Trouble, as in troubled mind, can be a euphamism for mental turmoil.
I am not claiming that Mrs Pepys was in her dotage, or that my reading is the correct one, but offer it as a possibility.
About Wednesday 10 May 1665
GrahamT • Link
American Mother's day has only been celebrated since 1908. (see Wikipedia for details)
The British Mothering Sunday, celebrated since the 16th century, is the fourth Sunday in Lent, so 3 weeks before Easter Sunday, and long past. So unfortunately, no synchronicity between Pepys' mother arriving and British Mother's day.
About Thursday 20 April 1665
GrahamT • Link
Povey's behaviour.
Could Sam and Mercer be embarassed because of Povey's age (50)? Should he be "old enough to know better"? Perhaps they see him as a dirty old man - whereas Sam is a dirty young man. It was ever thus; people one's parent's age aren't allowed to letch.
About Tuesday 29 May 1660
GrahamT • Link
Stephen,
As the sun is over the Tropic of Cancer in midsummer (and close to it at the end of May) and the Tropic of Capricorn in midwinter, both of which are considerably far south of the most southern part of Britain, it can never appear in the northern sky, whatever time of day.
Between the Tropics the sun can appear in either the northern or southern skies, but nowhere else. Britain is NOT Tropical!
About New contextual pop-up help
GrahamT • Link
Thanks Phil. A really useful enhancement. Well done.
I can confirm that in IE7, links on the left margin cause the pop-up to flash in and out of existence too quickly to read, but resizing the text (scroll wheel) seems to cure it - even when resized to the original size.
About Saturday 25 March 1665
GrahamT • Link
Lady Day:
So we are now in 1665 according to both calanders.
Happy New Year!
About Monday 13 March 1664/65
GrahamT • Link
"my promise ... not to lie in bed a quarter of an hour after my first waking"
I hope this applies only to work days, and not to his Lord's Day "lay abed long with my wife"
About Thursday 2 March 1664/65
GrahamT • Link
It is unlikely that the Cotswolds were named after a Mr Codswald, more likely that he was named after the birthplace of his ancestors. English place names named after people are common, but ancient and not quite so obvious, e.g. Nottingham is the village of Snotte's people. People, recognisably, named after places is much more common (Washington, Lincoln, Clinton, etc.)
Wold, Weald and similar are common parts of English place names (North Wold, The Weald, etc.) and can mean both a wooded area or a deforested rolling plain - both of which exist in the Cotswolds.
Whether Cot- is from a sheep cote, dovecote, cottage, someone's name, or something else, I wouldn't hazard a guess, but again it is a common part of English place names, e.g. Bevercotes, Swadlingcote, Cottingham.
Maybe LH can come up with a more definitive etymology, but British place name etymology is notoriously difficult to pin down because of the many different language roots involved. (Roman, Celtic, Viking, Germanic, Norman, etc, etc.)
About Friday 3 March 1664/65
GrahamT • Link
"...confirms her in an opinion that I am growne proud.”
This is pride as one of the seven deadly sins; the pride that cometh before a fall; not pride in a job well done.
Today we might say he is up himself; has ideas above his station.
Mrs Turner is upset that Pepys now thinks himself above their company - growne proud - and points out he missed a great feast. While Pepys agrees that might be the case, frankly my dears, he doesn't give a damn.
About Monday 27 February 1664/65
GrahamT • Link
"...did offer to give me a piece to receive of me 20 when he proves the late news of the Dutch..."
This sounds like a bet, but at very poor odds, i.e. "If I'm right Pepys, you give me 20 pieces, but if you're right I'll give you one piece." No wonder Pepys didn't take him up on it. If Atkins was so certain of his facts, the odds would have been the other way around.
Any other explanations?
About Friday 17 February 1664/65
GrahamT • Link
George Downing built and named Downing street, though it wasn't completed until 2 years after his death.
It wasn't until 1732 though that Sir Robert Walpole, as First Lord of the Treasury (old title for Prime Minister) was given number 10, and his deputy, the 2nd Lord of the Treasury, number 11. Though the titles later changed to Prime Minister and Chancellor of the Exchequer, the holders still retain the old titles too.
A bit of history here:
http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/abo…
About Monday 13 February 1664/65
GrahamT • Link
Re: Ying Tong song:
They don't write lyrics like that nowadays! The poetry of the English language.