Month: October 2017

Sunday 9 October 1664 (Lord’s day). Lay pretty long, but however up time enough with my wife to go to church. ... and Mr. Fuller, my Cambridge acquaintance, told me he was to preach at Barking Church; and so I to heare him, and he preached well and neatly. Thence, it being time enough, to our owne church, and there staid wholly privately at the great doore to gaze upon a pretty lady, and from...

Saturday 8 October 1664 ....So home to bed, being weary and cold, but contented that I have made an end of that business.... brief business meetings with our redoubtable entrepreneur Mr Pepys. At least the day ends with a suggestion of contentment but cold? In October? It's a hard life.... ***** I don't know if 'To Do' lists are more trouble than they are worth. It is a standard British joke...

Friday 7 October 1664 ...Lay pretty while with some discontent abed, even to the having bad words with my wife, and blows too, about the ill-serving up of our victuals yesterday; but all ended in love, and so I rose.... Early morning punch-up? Pepys must be in pain to even want to bash his wife. I can't think of a worse way of starting the day. Still, each to his or her own.  I think it's a good...

Thursday 6 October 1664 ... her niece came and dined with me to a rare chine of beefe and spent the afternoon very pleasantly all the afternoon, ... and then home to supper and to bed, my mind coming to itself in following of my business. Was Pepys, a busy man and rarely free of suffering in his body, wasting his time when he had a 'to do' list more convoluted than most people of his time? For...

Wednesday 5 October 1664 A long discourse from Pepys - So to Trinity House, and there I dined among the old dull fellows, and so home and to my office a while, and then comes Mr. Cocker to see me, and I discoursed with him about his writing and ability of sight, and how I shall do to get some glasse or other to helpe my eyes by candlelight; and he tells me he will bring me the helps he hath...

Tuesday 4 October 1664 ....and thence home, where I found my aunt James and the two she joyces. They dined and were merry with us. Thence after dinner to a play, to see “The Generall;” which is so dull and so ill-acted, that I think it is the worst I ever saw or heard in all my days. I happened to sit near to Sir Charles Sidly; who I find a very witty man, and he did at every line take notice of...