Paul Lazest

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Paul Lazest has posted six annotations/comments since 17 April 2015.

The most recent first…

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Second Reading

About Friday 28 November 1662

Paul Lazest  •  Link

Pardon my question coming from deep left field but I am wondering about Pepys and witches. In other entries he seems to absolutely not believe in them at all. Meanwhile, in the colonies, a few decades after Pepys "witches" are being burned in Salem, Mass. Were the Brits just saner regarding witches than the early Americans? If so, why? Any thoughts on this much appreciated.

About Saturday 24 November 1666

Paul Lazest  •  Link

" then to read the late printed discourse of witches by a member of Gresham College, —and then to bed; the discourse being well writ, in good stile, but methinks not very convincing".

Pepys seems not at all a believer in ghosts based on this entry. Twenty six years hence witches were being burned in Salem. From this can we conclude that the Brits were a good deal saner when it comes to witch hunting?

About Friday 2 May 1662

Paul Lazest  •  Link

A question unrelated to today's Pepys entry: when he describes his elicit activities he often employs an odd amalgam of French and Spanish. Presumably he does this to obscure his meaning so that if his wife reads the diary she won't know what he's saying. As his wife was French how would this lingo not be understandable to her?!

About Saturday 19 April 1662

Paul Lazest  •  Link

Why did Downing's capture of the three regicides in Holland destroy his reputation? Was this not an act of loyalty to the king?

About Wednesday 16 April 1662

Paul Lazest  •  Link

The word "physique" in the context of April 16 entry sounds like it's some form of exercise but in another entry Sam says, "Took physique all day, and, God forgive me, did spend it in reading of some little French romances". Can any of you smart Pepysians discourse on the nuances of the meaning of this word "physique"?