About Tuesday 6 April 1669

Sean on 7 Apr 2022  •  Link

What is a tar? I’m familiar with the use of tar on ships, and know about the NC Tar Heels, but..

Perhaps an abbreviation of tarpaulin. Used as a nickname for a sailor at this time. In the present context "tarpaulins" were the professionals as opposed to the gentlemen and aristocrats appointed to command.

About A paper about Pepys's eye problems

Sean on 18 Nov 2020  •  Link

Thanks for posting a link to a fascinating article.

About Wednesday 9 September 1663

Sean on 11 Sep 2016  •  Link

"Prostituted themselves": Comment seems a bit strong. The allegiance of Montague and Monck (soon to be Earls of Sandwich and Albermale) had been to Cromwell and the original Roundheads. Once the more extreme parliamentarians took over, Montague joined the majority of members of parliament and retired to the country, leaving the "rump" parliament to govern and execute Charles. Monck stayed with his army in Scotland. Their loyalty was to Cromwell and once he died and his son showed no stomach to succeed they were in favor of a stable moderate government and so were open to supporting, or even engineering, the Restoration.