Diary, Mar/Apr 1661/62 | Page 4

before making
an entire meal of them. D.W.]

THE DIARY OF SAMUEL PEPYS M.A. F.R.S.
CLERK OF THE ACTS AND SECRETARY TO THE ADMIRALTY

TRANSCRIBED FROM THE SHORTHAND MANUSCRIPT IN
THE PEPYSIAN LIBRARY MAGDALENE COLLEGE
CAMBRIDGE BY THE REV. MYNORS BRIGHT M.A. LATE
FELLOW AND PRESIDENT OF THE COLLEGE
(Unabridged)
WITH LORD BRAYBROOKE'S NOTES
EDITED WITH ADDITIONS BY
HENRY B. WHEATLEY F.S.A.
DIARY OF SAMUEL PEPYS.
MARCH & APRIL 1661-1662
March 1st. This morning I paid Sir W. Batten L40, which I have owed
him this half year, having borrowed it of him. Then to the office all the
morning, so dined at home, and after dinner comes my uncle Thomas,
with whom I had some high words of difference, but ended quietly,
though I fear I shall do no good by fair means upon him. Thence my
wife and I by coach, first to see my little picture that is a drawing, and
thence to the Opera, and there saw "Romeo and Juliet," the first time it
was ever acted; but it is a play of itself the worst that ever I heard in my
life, and the worst acted that ever I saw these people do, and I am
resolved to go no more to see the first time of acting, for they were all
of them out more or less. Thence home, and after supper and wrote by
the post, I settled to what I had long intended, to cast up my accounts
with myself, and after much pains to do it and great fear, I do find that I
am 1500 in money beforehand in the world, which I was afraid I was
not, but I find that I had spent above L250 this last half year, which
troubles me much, but by God's blessing I am resolved to take up,
having furnished myself with all things for a great while, and
to-morrow to think upon some rules and obligations upon myself to
walk by. So with my mind eased of a great deal of trouble, though with
no great content to find myself above L100 worse now than I was half a
year ago, I went to bed.

2nd (Lord's day). With my mind much eased talking long in bed with
my wife about our frugall life for the time to come, proposing to her
what I could and would do if I were worth L2,000, that is, be a knight,
and keep my coach, which pleased her,
[Lord Braybrooke wrote, "This reminds me of a story of my father's,

when he was of Merton College, and heard Bowen the porter wish that
he had L100 a-year, to enable him to keep a couple of hunters and a
pack of foxhounds."]
and so I do hope we shall hereafter live to save something, for I am
resolved to keep myself by rules from expenses. To church in the
morning: none in the pew but myself. So home to dinner, and after
dinner came Sir William and talked with me till church time, and then
to church, where at our going out I was at a loss by Sir W. Pen's putting
me upon it whether to take my wife or Mrs. Martha (who alone was
there), and I began to take my wife, but he jogged me, and so I took
Martha, and led her down before him and my wife. So set her at home,
and Sir William and my wife and I to walk in the garden, and anon
hearing that Sir G. Carteret had sent to see whether we were at home or
no, Sir William and I went to his house, where we waited a good while,
they being at prayers, and by and by we went up to him; there the
business was about hastening the East India ships, about which we are
to meet to-morrow in the afternoon. So home to my house, and Sir
William supped with me, and so to bed.

3rd. All the morning at home about business with my brother Tom, and
then with Mr. Moore, and then I set to make some strict rules for my
future practice in my expenses, which I did bind myself in the presence
of God by oath to observe upon penalty therein set down, and I do not
doubt but hereafter to give a good account of my time and to grow rich,
for I do find a great deal more of content in these few days, that I do
spend well about my business, than in all the pleasure of a whole week,
besides the trouble which I remember I always have after that for the
expense of my money. Dined at home, and then up to my chamber
again about business, and so to the