Annotations and comments

StanB has posted 123 annotations/comments since 17 January 2016.

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Second Reading

About Monday 7 December 1663

StanB  •  Link

and so, after reading in Rushworth, home to supper and to bed.

John Rushworth (c.1612 – 12 May 1690) Parlimentarian
Historical Collections and also known as the Rushworth Papers.
With my interest in the English Civil War I'm well aware of John Rushworth he was such an interesting character, pretty much the 17th century equivalent of a 21st Century Indentured War Correspondent
He was active at and followed the battles of Edge Hill (1642), Newbury (1643 and 1644), Marston Moor (1644) and Naseby (1645) also He reported the Battle of Preston (1648) and the Battle of Worcester (1651).
In 1645 he became secretary to Thomas Fairfax, He also covered the arrest and trial of Charles 1st
Following the execution of Charles I in 1649, Rushworth became personal secretary to Oliver Cromwell. So this guy was a mover and shaker and at one point was implicated to an extent in the trial and execution of Charles 1st
Surprisingly/amazingly he escaped the Restoration Purge and is extraordinary life doesn't stop there,
His writings found favour in America where they served as a source of inspiration for one of the Founding Fathers and 3rd President of the USA Thomas Jefferson
Later in his life the colony of Massachusetts employed him as its agent at a salary of twelve guineas a year.
Thomas Jefferson bought a copy of Rushworth's Historical Collections for use in his own library and he often quoted from them and undoubtedly the Cause and Effect Rushworth wrote about in the journals regarding the English Civil Wars that Sam read from today reverberated down into the American Declaration of Independence that Jefferson was the primary author of.
There's so much more i haven't added here,
Look him up guys

Like i said a very interesting character and an extraordinary life

About Saturday 28 November 1663

StanB  •  Link

Original copies of Hudibras are still to be had I have a copy of Butlers work myself got it off EBay also i have an original Eikon Basilike 1649 version , to complete my collection I'm now after the rebuff to the Basilike, Miltons Eikonoklastes just need a decent copy of it now

About Friday 20 November 1663

StanB  •  Link

Farnley Wood
I live literally a stones throw from Farnley the wood has now gone
The countryside to the south east of New Farnley was once cloaked by a huge area of woodland known as Farnley Wood. It was here, on the night of 11th October 1663, that 29 men met to plot the downfall of Charles II. By dawn the conspirators had melted away, disillusioned by a pitiful turnout. However, Joshua Greathead, embittered by slights from his fellow conspirators turned informer and betrayed them to the authorities. As a result of his evidence sixteen men were hung, drawn and quartered at York, several more were executed on the gallows at Chapeltown Moor in Leeds and the remainder were executed at Appleby. Farnley Wood has now disappeared, but be warned, people have reported being hit by flying stones when there is no one in sight to throw them – are ghostly plotters still at large ?

About Thursday 12 November 1663

StanB  •  Link

James Louder

Thanks for the interpretation I had never thought to link Divers with Diverse/Diversity it now makes a lot more sense to me given that context

Appreciate that thanks again

About Thursday 12 November 1663

StanB  •  Link

Lay long in bed, indeed too long, divers people and the officers staying for me.
Divers
adjective
several; various; sundry:
divers articles.
pronoun
(used with a plural verb) an indefinite number more than one:
He chose divers of them, who were asked to accompany him.

Divers a fascinating word such a long way off from it's actual meaning how do you get from Divers to Several ?
Can anyone shed light on the origin of this word ?
If i shout loud enough would 'Language Hat' hear me way back in the Noughties

About Thursday 5 November 1663

StanB  •  Link

Sam makes no mention today of Guido Fawkes , 'the name he adopted while fighting for the Spanish' or the fireworks let off in observance of the Gunpowder Plot , How countrywide were these fireworks just 58 years after said plot ?. I myself along with my family and 70,000 plus are off to Roundhay Park (Leeds) tonight there's a huge Bonfire and a massive display , what i love about this day probably more than most in the diary is that Pepys time was still in living memory of the plot It's a real link back to Sams time and uniquely and quintessentially English and what he saw on this night in his day we will see today and of course it begs that old chestnut

Was Fawkes"the last man to enter Parliament with honest intentions" hehe

About Saturday 24 October 1663

StanB  •  Link

Went through Farnley today, i live about 2 miles from there in a place called Seacroft famous for the Battle of Seacroft Moor 30 March 1643 where about a Thousand Parliamentarians were cut down, Sir Thomas Fairfax was quoted at that time saying it was "the greatest loss we ever received".I'm very much a Civil War enthusiast and count myself incredibly lucky to be surrounded by so much History relating to it , Hoping to get a Metal Detector soon and take my interest a step higher, for more info on the Battle of Seacroft Moor
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bat…

About Tuesday 13 October 1663

StanB  •  Link

'Zounds'
Great word it springs to mind Adam West and Burt Ward

"Zounds"!!! Batman the Joker did what !!!!............

About Saturday 10 October 1663

StanB  •  Link

Terry F notes on the 11th that L&M describe the following
"and my pain and frequent desire to make water; what I must therefore forbear." - L&M.
Again another indication this could be Cystitis and/or a Bladder Infection or Kidney Infection

About Wednesday 7 October 1663

StanB  •  Link

There were some bizarre (to us) remedies in the 17th century
Long before the arrival of our NHS, people had to rely on their own medicines if they fell ill - and that included treating kidney stones with a dove’s foot boiled in white wine.
Anyone with bladder problems was advised to drink a mixture of wine, garlic, crab's eyes and ‘the powder of a stag’s pizzle’ - what a penis was known as back in the 1650s
People whose nails had fallen off were advised to lay egg whites on them to help them grow back.
Another manual gave a bizarre recipe for lip balm that uses 'two ounces of virgin’s wax' and 'two ounces of hog’s lard' - the fat on a hog's back. It is unclear what virgin's wax is.
In his 1652 work ‘The English Physician’ Botanist and author Nicholas Culpeper (18 October 1616 – 10 January 1654) advised that chestnuts could stop people from coughing up blood.
He claimed the nut worked as a cure because the 'tree is absolutely under the domain of Jupiter'.
Housewives in the 17th century were expected to have a basic knowledge of how to make herbal remedies. I wonder if the patients were given any possible side effects with there medications ?
Some would say these remedies were probably less toxic that modern day medications

About Sunday 4 October 1663

StanB  •  Link

Off topic but today Sir Robert Foster (1589–1663) died, An interesting chap He was an ardent royalist, is supposed to have defended Ship Money and billeting of troops, and joined king Charles I of England at Oxford At the Restoration he was at once restored to the bench, 31 May 1660, and, having shown zeal on the trials of the regicides, was presently (21 October 1660) appointed to the chief-justiceship of the King's Bench,
I wonder if Sam had any dealings with him especially regarding the Ship Money Act ? Although i suspect this may be slightly earlier than Sam
More on him here https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rob…

About Friday 2 October 1663

StanB  •  Link

Oxford was the first English city to establish a coffeehouse in 1650, named the Angel and still in existence today, The first coffeehouses established in Oxford were known as penny universities, as they offered an alternative form of learning to structural academic learning, while still being frequented by the English virtuosi who actively pursued advances in human knowledge. The coffeehouses would charge a penny admission, which would include access to newspapers and conversation.Reporters called "runners" went around to the coffeehouses announcing the latest news. Anyone who had a penny could come inside. Students from the universities also frequented the coffeehouses, sometimes even spending more time at the shops than at school. http://www.oxfordhistory.org.uk/h…

About Sunday 27 September 1663

StanB  •  Link

Dined, and so to my office a little, and then to church again, where a drowsy sermon,

The more things change the more they stay the same, Weren't Sunday afternoons designed for 'Drowsy' Swop the office for a Sunday pint with your mates, Then home to dinner, replacing the Pulpit with watching your favourite Football Team drowsily from your comfy armchair, a perfick Sunday Afternoon

About Tuesday 15 September 1663

StanB  •  Link

http://enterifyoudare.wixsite.com…
One of the more recent additions for the use of Hinchingbrooke House , I have a friend who went on this event she was suitably scared, With Halloween fast approaching check it out fellow Pepysians it's certainly a novel way to experience the House.
Wonder what Sam would have made of it ?

About Thursday 3 September 1663

StanB  •  Link

Remembering The Lord Protector today on the 358th Anniversary of his death, Love him,Hate him there's no disputing the part hes played in the rich tapestry of this country's history and lets not forget where Sams initial feelings laid Pre-Restoration. Had Richard had is fathers strength,iron will and constitution, do you think we would be living in a different England today ?

About Sunday 2 September 1666

StanB  •  Link

Sorry had to jump from 1663 which is where I'm at the moment to make mention it's 350 years ago today '2016 ' that the face of London changed forever , Arguably today's entry and Sam's magnificent narration of it really puts you there
350 year's ago and it still stirs the intellect there were heroes and villains yes but we should be thankful the death toll wasn't huge it so easily could have been .

Fantastic entry Sam !

About Sunday 16 August 1663

StanB  •  Link

Oh ! how i wish we could go back to the days of the Lanthorn, I'm a very keen Amatuer Astronomer and nothing frustrates me (and my telescope) more than light pollution.
The skies back in Sams day must have been truly magnificent.
I've been lucky enough to visit one of the very few Dark Sky reserves in England (Snowdonia International Dark Sky Reserve)
http://www.nationalparks.gov.uk/v…
It's truly humbling to view the night sky without the hindrance of 21st Century light pollution i urge all of you guys to get that on your bucket lists you won't be disappointed

About Saturday 25 July 1663

StanB  •  Link

What a fantastic entry, today has to be one of my favourites i was almost there with Sam and i have to say some great annotations really made the picture complete