enter "chimney tax" in the search field for lots of background. for starters,
"I am told that this day the Parliament hath voted 2s. per annum for every chimney in England, as a constant revenue for ever to the Crown." http://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/1…
"...even to supporting Ann Hutchinson during his time in colonial New England." [Robert Gertz re: H. Vane (above)]
"Anne Hutchinson was a Puritan spiritual adviser, mother of 15, and an important participant in the Antinomian Controversy which shook the infant Massachusetts Bay Colony from 1636 to 1638." Wikipedia
during the interregnum, it seems mince pies were political...
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/M… "...During the English Civil War, along with the censure of other Catholic customs, they were banned: "Nay, the poor rosemary and bays, and Christmas pie, is made an abomination."[11] Puritans were opposed to the Christmas pie, on account of its connection with Catholicism.[1] In his History of the Rebellion, Marchamont Needham wrote "All Plums the Prophets Sons defy, And Spice-broths are too hot; Treason's in a December-Pye, And Death within the Pot."[12]..."
"Does anyone know when mince pies stopped having meat in them?"
per Wikipedia article: "...as Great Britain entered the Victorian age, the addition of meat had, for many, become an afterthought (although the use of suet remains).[16] Its taste then was broadly similar to that experienced today, although some 20th-century writers continued to advocate the inclusion of meat.[17]..." https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/M…
re: Ruben's note above: Remember what the French King said about punctuality!
"Kings (especially before the [French] revolution) didn’t need to be punctual. They could show up when they wanted. Afterall, people would wait for them. But [King Louis XVIII of France, to whom the quote is often attributed] suggests that one way a king can show respect for other people is to meet them at the appointed time. >>'If this is true for kings, it certainly is true for you and me.'<<[emphasis added]" https://english.stackexchange.com…
bogtrotter I am surprised that Helena Murphy had never come across this expression before. I certainly heard it growing up in the 1960s as an Irish-American in the US.
The etymology is pretty straightforward, referring to Irish peasants who lived with boggy soils that required a quick, light-footed 'trot' to cross safely. This became a highly offensive ethnic slur indicating backwardness and referring to the 'lowest class' of Irish.
a couple of interesting sources: Political Correctness: A History of Semantics and Culture By Geoffrey Hughes [cut and paste into Google, then search for 'bogtrotter']
Terry Foreman, you're welcome! :) I've often wondered what the contemporary name is for old maladies. thanks to Google we can actually track it down now... though if any one knows a good book on the subject, I'd love to hear about it!
"...Prior to the twentieth century, heart failure was known as dropsy, a term used to describe the presence of generalized swelling, a clinical result of the syndrome..." http://www.medscape.org/viewartic…
re: autopsy of j. evelyn's child (referred to by vicente, above):
"In January 1658 the eldest son Dick (Richard) fell ill from a quartan ague or fever, had sweats and fits, and finally died. Physicians were sent for from London but the bitterly cold weather prevented them from arriving in time to help little Dick. Evelyn's devastation at the loss of his son shows all too well when he painfully records Dick's age as 5 years, 5 months, and 3 days. He angrily blames the death on the servants keeping Dick too hot with a great fire and blankets. Evelyn was an educated man interested in science or natural philosophy as it was called in the 17th century. This may have led to his somewhat unusual decision to attend the autopsy of Dick. The findings of liver growne and a large spleen, suggest possibly rickets or malaria as the cause of Dick's death." https://chnm.gmu.edu/cyh/primary-…
from j. evelyn's diary (at same website): "On the Saturday following, I sufferd the Physitians to have him opened...[details follow... a wrenching entry!]"
from Wikipedia: The term "cheese-eating surrender monkeys" first appeared in "'Round Springfield," an April 1995 episode of the American animated television show The Simpsons.[1] In the episode, budget cuts at Springfield Elementary School force the school's Scottish janitor, Groundskeeper Willie, to teach French. Expressing his disdain for the French people, he says to his French class in his Scottish accent: "Bonjoooouuurrr, ya cheese-eatin' surrender monkeys!"
Comments
Second Reading
About Monday 30 June 1662
eileen d. • Link
enter "chimney tax" in the search field for lots of background.
for starters,
"I am told that this day the Parliament hath voted 2s. per annum for every chimney in England, as a constant revenue for ever to the Crown." http://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/1…
About Saturday 28 June 1662
eileen d. • Link
love this entry. what a pleasure to watch, year by year, as Sam comes into his own.
About Saturday 24 May 1662
eileen d. • Link
I couldn't spot the info referred to by Pedro re Catherine's brother. so here's another overview of his life:
http://www.newworldencyclopedia.o…
About Thursday 22 May 1662
eileen d. • Link
"...named her heroine Harriet Vane after the Harry Vane..." ( E, above)
yes! I was wondering the same thing, esp. considering Sayer's background as a religious scholar. :))
About Thursday 22 May 1662
eileen d. • Link
"...even to supporting Ann Hutchinson during his time in colonial New England." [Robert Gertz re: H. Vane (above)]
"Anne Hutchinson was a Puritan spiritual adviser, mother of 15, and an important participant in the Antinomian Controversy which shook the infant Massachusetts Bay Colony from 1636 to 1638." Wikipedia
About Wednesday 9 April 1662
eileen d. • Link
hmm... since nobody else brought this up, maybe the answer is obvious. but why did our Sam find reports of the famine strange?
About Mince pies
eileen d. • Link
during the interregnum, it seems mince pies were political...
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/M…
"...During the English Civil War, along with the censure of other Catholic customs, they were banned: "Nay, the poor rosemary and bays, and Christmas pie, is made an abomination."[11] Puritans were opposed to the Christmas pie, on account of its connection with Catholicism.[1] In his History of the Rebellion, Marchamont Needham wrote "All Plums the Prophets Sons defy, And Spice-broths are too hot; Treason's in a December-Pye, And Death within the Pot."[12]..."
About Monday 6 January 1661/62
eileen d. • Link
for more on mince pies, see our site encyclopedia entry under "foods: baked"
http://www.pepysdiary.com/encyclo…
About Monday 6 January 1661/62
eileen d. • Link
"Does anyone know when mince pies stopped having meat in them?"
per Wikipedia article:
"...as Great Britain entered the Victorian age, the addition of meat had, for many, become an afterthought (although the use of suet remains).[16] Its taste then was broadly similar to that experienced today, although some 20th-century writers continued to advocate the inclusion of meat.[17]..."
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/M…
About Wednesday 8 June 1664
eileen d. • Link
hear, hear! re: John Smith and all the impecunious lovers of knowledge, who've bequeathed us such a rich legacy in every arena of scholarship.
About Tuesday 10 December 1661
eileen d. • Link
an irresistible anecdote, jimmigee!
About Tuesday 10 December 1661
eileen d. • Link
re: Ruben's note above: Remember what the French King said about punctuality!
"Kings (especially before the [French] revolution) didn’t need to be punctual. They could show up when they wanted. Afterall, people would wait for them. But [King Louis XVIII of France, to whom the quote is often attributed] suggests that one way a king can show respect for other people is to meet them at the appointed time. >>'If this is true for kings, it certainly is true for you and me.'<<[emphasis added]"
https://english.stackexchange.com…
About Monday 25 November 1661
eileen d. • Link
bogtrotter
I am surprised that Helena Murphy had never come across this expression before. I certainly heard it growing up in the 1960s as an Irish-American in the US.
The etymology is pretty straightforward, referring to Irish peasants who lived with boggy soils that required a quick, light-footed 'trot' to cross safely. This became a highly offensive ethnic slur indicating backwardness and referring to the 'lowest class' of Irish.
a couple of interesting sources:
Political Correctness: A History of Semantics and Culture
By Geoffrey Hughes [cut and paste into Google, then search for 'bogtrotter']
List of Ethnic Slurs (ethnophaulisms)
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/L…
About Thursday 21 November 1661
eileen d. • Link
this link takes you to the pepys bookbinding page noted above by John in Chicago...
https://www.bl.uk/catalogues/book…
About Sunday 10 November 1661
eileen d. • Link
Terry Foreman, you're welcome! :) I've often wondered what the contemporary name is for old maladies. thanks to Google we can actually track it down now... though if any one knows a good book on the subject, I'd love to hear about it!
About Sunday 10 November 1661
eileen d. • Link
dropsy
"...Prior to the twentieth century, heart failure was known as dropsy, a term used to describe the presence of generalized swelling, a clinical result of the syndrome..."
http://www.medscape.org/viewartic…
About Saturday 9 November 1661
eileen d. • Link
as always, Chris Squire Uk, your authoritative OED citations clear away the chaff of partially-accurate annotations! thank you!
About Sunday 27 October 1661
eileen d. • Link
re: autopsy of j. evelyn's child (referred to by vicente, above):
"In January 1658 the eldest son Dick (Richard) fell ill from a quartan ague or fever, had sweats and fits, and finally died. Physicians were sent for from London but the bitterly cold weather prevented them from arriving in time to help little Dick. Evelyn's devastation at the loss of his son shows all too well when he painfully records Dick's age as 5 years, 5 months, and 3 days. He angrily blames the death on the servants keeping Dick too hot with a great fire and blankets. Evelyn was an educated man interested in science or natural philosophy as it was called in the 17th century. This may have led to his somewhat unusual decision to attend the autopsy of Dick. The findings of liver growne and a large spleen, suggest possibly rickets or malaria as the cause of Dick's death."
https://chnm.gmu.edu/cyh/primary-…
from j. evelyn's diary (at same website): "On the Saturday following, I sufferd the Physitians to have him opened...[details follow... a wrenching entry!]"
About Monday 30 September 1661
eileen d. • Link
from Wikipedia:
The term "cheese-eating surrender monkeys" first appeared in "'Round Springfield," an April 1995 episode of the American animated television show The Simpsons.[1] In the episode, budget cuts at Springfield Elementary School force the school's Scottish janitor, Groundskeeper Willie, to teach French. Expressing his disdain for the French people, he says to his French class in his Scottish accent: "Bonjoooouuurrr, ya cheese-eatin' surrender monkeys!"
About Monday 23 September 1661
eileen d. • Link
update of Ruben's link to Fletcher's "Care-Charming Sleep"
https://rpo.library.utoronto.ca/p…
lovely!