In 1625 one Edward Knapp was granted a patent "for hanging the bodies of coaches by springs of steel." Who knows how this coach was suspended, leather straps or steel springs?
This note about Blowbladder Street was taken from a past edition of 'Notes and Queries' (first published 1849) which "is a long-running quarterly scholarly journal that publishes short articles related to "English language and literature, lexicography, history, and scholarly antiquarianists. Its emphasis is on "the factual rather than the speculative." Judging by the typeface used, this particular note was published quite some years ago - probably 19th century.
According to Defoe's Journal of the Plague Year, this street was so named because the butchers who traded there had in the past (when?) been caught out inflating carcasses "by means of pipes" to make them look larger and fatter than they really were. The rogues were reported to the Lord Mayor and punished.
According to The Encyclopedia of Superstitions (Richard Webster, available as an e--book) a nose-bleed was traditionally regarded as a sign of bad luck; especially so if it came from the right nostril, as that portended a death. (But doesn't specify whose death).
If it's perhaps a question of fine, kid gloves, then they can be difficult and time-consuming to clean without causing distortion or hardening of the leather, so might have needed fairly frequent replacement. Given that lye, which is strongly alkaline, formed the basis of soap in the 17th century, even gentle washing probably presented additional problems.
Not quite till about 10 p.m. in Pepys's day. Remember that his 'now' is not exactly the same as our current 'now' but is those critical 11 days adrift and at this time of year is one further hour adrift because UK is on British Summer Time, not GMT. However, hardly broad daylight even in 1667.
Misreading: Pepys only went to see the play once. The first mention of it is simply that he noticed that that was the play that was to be presented later in the day.
Sunset in London yesterday was at 20.58h BST (British Summer Time) which is one hour ahead of GMT (Greenwich Mean Time) 19.58h
Allowing for the later (1752) change of calendar, Pepys would have been 11 days 'behind' GMT, so his sunset time would have been roughly 19.42, give or take a minute or two.
Not so very late, after all (provided that I've got that all right!)
Could this possibly be a reference to the gentlemen's accents? I recall that a 20th Century Dutch politician said, "Of all the noises in the animal kingdom, Dutch comes closest to human speech."
Delightful coincidence that Mr. Fist's surname should have been in recent modern use in two colloquial instances. Firstly, as a slang expression for a piece of handwriting: "I recognised the fist on the envelope". Also, in an expression describing a botched manual task: "He made a poor fist of it."
We know that Pepys hated it when Elizabeth followed the fashionable women of the beau monde in wearing face-patches. I suspect that white locks (presumably false hairpieces) fell into the same category; the court celebrities may perhaps have worn them (not that we see them in their portraits) but he deemed them totally unsuitable for the wife of a serious, and seriously rising, man. Perhaps Knipp favoured them? How many middle-class men today would really enjoy their wives appearing in public clad and made-up like certain "celebrities"?
Also please note that Phil established this website entirely voluntarily, never anticipated that it would gain the world-wide reputation that it has, has run it magnificently through two runs of the diary and merits our undying gratitude. There are no "webmasters", just Phil the Magnificent and Magnanimous.
"we know for sure they no longer sleep together..."
Not at all sure about that. Pepys is working in his chamber (which is not necessarily his bed-chamber) and is up and about earlier than Elizabeth. That's surely all that can be drawn from this narrative.
Comments
Second Reading
About Thursday 8 August 1667
Mary K • Link
No springs at all?
In 1625 one Edward Knapp was granted a patent "for hanging the bodies of coaches by springs of steel." Who knows how this coach was suspended, leather straps or steel springs?
About Thursday 1 August 1667
Mary K • Link
This note about Blowbladder Street was taken from a past edition of 'Notes and Queries' (first published 1849) which "is a long-running quarterly scholarly journal that publishes short articles related to "English language and literature, lexicography, history, and scholarly antiquarianists. Its emphasis is on "the factual rather than the speculative."
Judging by the typeface used, this particular note was published quite some years ago - probably 19th century.
About Thursday 1 August 1667
Mary K • Link
Blowbladder Street.
According to Defoe's Journal of the Plague Year, this street was so named because the butchers who traded there had in the past (when?) been caught out inflating carcasses "by means of pipes" to make them look larger and fatter than they really were. The rogues were reported to the Lord Mayor and punished.
About Friday 19 December 1662
Mary K • Link
"give over" can also be used to stop someone trying to tell you something that's plainly untrue, unlikely or misleading.
About Saturday 6 July 1667
Mary K • Link
Nose-bleeds
According to The Encyclopedia of Superstitions (Richard Webster, available as an e--book) a nose-bleed was traditionally regarded as a sign of bad luck; especially so if it came from the right nostril, as that portended a death. (But doesn't specify whose death).
About Friday 5 July 1667
Mary K • Link
Gloves again.
If it's perhaps a question of fine, kid gloves, then they can be difficult and time-consuming to clean without causing distortion or hardening of the leather, so might have needed fairly frequent replacement. Given that lye, which is strongly alkaline, formed the basis of soap in the 17th century, even gentle washing probably presented additional problems.
About Saturday 29 June 1667
Mary K • Link
do do.
Similar difference in emphases. First 'do' is 3rd person singular, present indicative of the verb; second 'do' is the infinitive of the verb.
About Saturday 29 June 1667
Mary K • Link
No stutter. The first 'that' lacks emphasis, the second 'that' has full emphasis. Perfectly rational.
About Wednesday 19 June 1667
Mary K • Link
Not quite till about 10 p.m. in Pepys's day. Remember that his 'now' is not exactly the same as our current 'now' but is those critical 11 days adrift and at this time of year is one further hour adrift because UK is on British Summer Time, not GMT. However, hardly broad daylight even in 1667.
About Thursday 20 June 1667
Mary K • Link
"against the hair"
cf. the modern expression 'to rub someone up the wrong way', though the earlier phrase appears to carry more import.
About Monday 31 March 1662
Mary K • Link
This sort of apoplexy also sounds similar in appearance to some manifestations of epilepsy.
About Wednesday 5 June 1667
Mary K • Link
And of course our laws are still passed in Parliament with the statement "La Reine le veult."
About Wednesday 1 January 1661/62
Mary K • Link
Misreading: Pepys only went to see the play once. The first mention of it is simply that he noticed that that was the play that was to be presented later in the day.
About Wednesday 22 May 1667
Mary K • Link
Sunset in London yesterday was at 20.58h BST (British Summer Time) which is one hour ahead of GMT (Greenwich Mean Time) 19.58h
Allowing for the later (1752) change of calendar, Pepys would have been 11 days 'behind' GMT, so his sunset time would have been roughly 19.42, give or take a minute or two.
Not so very late, after all (provided that I've got that all right!)
About Tuesday 19 January 1668/69
Mary K • Link
Two Dutchmen.
Could this possibly be a reference to the gentlemen's accents?
I recall that a 20th Century Dutch politician said, "Of all the noises in the animal kingdom, Dutch comes closest to human speech."
About Tuesday 14 May 1667
Mary K • Link
Delightful coincidence that Mr. Fist's surname should have been in recent modern use in two colloquial instances.
Firstly, as a slang expression for a piece of handwriting: "I recognised the fist on the envelope".
Also, in an expression describing a botched manual task: "He made a poor fist of it."
A case of post hoc but I assume not propter hoc.
About Sunday 12 May 1667
Mary K • Link
We know that Pepys hated it when Elizabeth followed the fashionable women of the beau monde in wearing face-patches. I suspect that white locks (presumably false hairpieces) fell into the same category; the court celebrities may perhaps have worn them (not that we see them in their portraits) but he deemed them totally unsuitable for the wife of a serious, and seriously rising, man. Perhaps Knipp favoured them? How many middle-class men today would really enjoy their wives appearing in public clad and made-up like certain "celebrities"?
About Friday 10 May 1667
Mary K • Link
Also please note that Phil established this website entirely voluntarily, never anticipated that it would gain the world-wide reputation that it has, has run it magnificently through two runs of the diary and merits our undying gratitude. There are no "webmasters", just Phil the Magnificent and Magnanimous.
About Sunday 12 May 1667
Mary K • Link
"we know for sure they no longer sleep together..."
Not at all sure about that. Pepys is working in his chamber (which is not necessarily his bed-chamber) and is up and about earlier than Elizabeth. That's surely all that can be drawn from this narrative.
About Friday 10 May 1667
Mary K • Link
I haven't found any pictures of 17th century lock-picks yet but any modern ones would be far too slender for removing stones from horses' hooves.