Diary, Sep/Oct 1661 | Page 9

and after dinner to church, my wife and I, and after sermon
with my wife to the buriall of my aunt Kite, where besides us and my
uncle Fenner's family, there was none of any quality, but poor rascally
people. So we went to church with the corps, and there had service read
at the grave, and back again with Pegg Kite who will be, I doubt, a
troublesome carrion to us executors; but if she will not be ruled, I shall
fling up my executorship. After that home, and Will Joyce along with
me where we sat and talked and drank and ate an hour or two, and so he
went away and I up to my chamber and then to prayers and to bed.

16th. This morning I was busy at home to take in my part of our freight
of Coles, which Sir G. Carteret, Sir R. Slingsby, and myself sent for,
which is 10 Chaldron, 8 of which I took in, and with the other to repay
Sir W. Pen what I borrowed of him a little while ago. So that from this

day I should see how long 10 chaldron of coals will serve my house, if
it please the Lord to let me live to see them burned. In the afternoon by
appointment to meet Dr. Williams and his attorney, and they and I to
Tom Trice, and there got him in discourse to confess the words that he
had said that his mother did desire him not to see my uncle about her
L200 bond while she was alive. Here we were at high words with T.
Trice and then parted, and we to Standing's, in Fleet Street, where we
sat and drank and talked a great while about my going down to Gravely
Court,
[The manorial court of Graveley, in Huntingdonshire, to which
Impington owed suit or service, and under which the Pepys's copyhold
estates were held. See July 8th, 1661, ante.--B.]
which will be this week, whereof the Doctor had notice in a letter from
his sister this week. In the middle of our discourse word was brought
me from my brother's that there is a fellow come from my father out of
the country, on purpose to speak to me, so I went to him and he made a
story how he had lost his letter, but he was sure it was for me to go into
the country, which I believed, and thought it might be to give me notice
of Gravely Court, but I afterwards found that it was a rogue that did use
to play such tricks to get money of people, but he got none of me. At
night I went home, and there found letters-from my father informing
me of the Court, and that I must come down and meet him at Impington,
which I presently resolved to do,

17th. And the next morning got up, telling my wife of my journey, and
she with a few words got me to hire her a horse to go along with me. So
I went to my Lady's and elsewhere to take leave, and of Mr. Townsend
did borrow a very fine side-saddle for my wife; and so after all things
were ready, she and I took coach to the end of the town towards
Kingsland, and there got upon my horse and she upon her pretty mare
that I hired for her, and she rides very well. By the mare at one time
falling she got a fall, but no harm; so we got to Ware, and there supped,
and to bed very merry and pleasant.

18th. The next morning up early and begun our march; the way about
Puckridge--[Puckeridge, a village in Hertfordshire six and a half miles
N.N.E, of Ware.]--very bad, and my wife, in the very last dirty place of

all, got a fall, but no hurt, though some dirt. At last she begun, poor
wretch, to be tired, and I to be angry at it, but I was to blame; for she is
a very good companion as long as she is well. In the afternoon we got
to Cambridge, where I left my wife at my cozen Angier's while I went
to Christ's College, and there found my brother in his chamber, and
talked with him; and so to the barber's, and then to my wife again, and
remounted for Impington, where my uncle received me and my wife
very kindly. And by and by in comes my father, and we supped and
talked and were merry, but being weary and sleepy my wife and I to
bed without talking with my father anything about our business.

19th. Up early, and my father and I alone into the garden,