The Diary by Samuel Pepys (children's ebooks online TXT) π
Description
Pepysβ Diary is an incredibly frank decade-long snapshot of the life of an up and coming naval administrator in mid-17th century London. In it he describes everything from battles against the Dutch and the intrigues of court, down to the plays he saw, his marital infidelities, and the quality of the meat provided for his supper. His observations have proved invaluable in establishing an accurate record of the daily life of the people of London of that period.
Pepys eventually stopped writing his diary due to progressively worse eyesight, a condition he feared. He did consider employing an amanuensis to transcribe future entries for him, but worried that the content he wanted written would be too personal. Luckily for Pepys, his eyesight difficulties never progressed to blindness and he was able to go on to become both a Member of Parliament and the President of the Royal Society.
After Pepysβ death he left his large library of books and manuscripts first to his nephew, which was then passed on to Magdalene College, Cambridge, where it survives to this day. The diary, originally written in a shorthand, was included in this trove and was eventually deciphered in the early 19th century, and published by Lord Baybrooke in 1825. This early release censored large amounts of the text, and it was only in the 1970s that an uncensored version was published. Presented here is the 1893 edition, which restores the majority of the originally censored content but omits βa few passages which cannot possibly be printed.β The rich collection of endnotes serve to further illustrate the lives of the people Pepys meets and the state of Englandβs internal politics and international relations at the time.
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- Author: Samuel Pepys
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11th. Betimes to my Lord. Extremely much people and business. So with him to Whitehall to the Duke. Back with him by coach and left him in Covent Garden. I back to Willβs and the Hall to see my father. Then to the Leg in King Street with Mr. Moore, and sent for LβImpertinent to dinner with me. After that with Mr. Moore about Privy Seal business. To Mr. Watkins, so to Mr. Crewβs. Then towards my fatherβs met my Lord and with him to Dorset House525 to the Chancellor. So to Mr. Crewβs and saw my Lord at supper, and then home, and went to see Mrs. Turner, and so to bed.
12th. Visited by the two Pierces, Mr. Blackburne, Dr. Clerk and Mr. Creed, and did give them a ham of bacon. So to my Lord and with him to the Duke of Gloucester. The two Dukes dined with the Speaker, and I saw there a fine entertainment and dined with the pages. To Mr. Crewβs, whither came Mr. Greatorex, and with him to the Faithornes,526 and so to the Devils tavern. To my Lordβs and stayed till 12 at night about business. So to my fatherβs, my father and mother in bed, who had been with my uncle Fenner, etc., and my wife all day and expected me. But I found Mr. Cook there, and so to bed.
13th. To my Lordβs and thence to the Treasurerβs of the Navy,527 with Mr. Creed and Pierce the Purser to Rawlinsonβs, whither my uncle Wight came, and I spent 12s. upon them. So to Mr. Crewβs, where I blotted a new carpet528 that was hired, but got it out again with fair water. By water with my Lord in a boat to Westminster, and to the Admiralty, now in a new place. After business done there to the Rhenish wine-house with Mr. Blackburne, Creed, and Wivell. So to my Lordβs lodging and to my fatherβs, and to bed.
14th. Up to my Lord and from him to the Treasurer of the Navy for Β£500. After that to a tavern with Washington the Purser, very gallant, and ate and drank. To Mr. Crewβs and laid my money. To my Lady Pickering529 with the plate that she did give my Lord the other day. Then to Willβs and met William Symons and Doling and Luellin, and with them to the Bull-head,530 and then to a new alehouse in Brewerβs Yard, where Winter that had the fray with Stoakes, and from them to my fatherβs.
15th. All the morning at the Commissioners of the Navy about getting out my bill for Β£650 for the last quarter, which I got done with a great deal of ease, which is not common. After that with Mr. Turner to the Dolphin and drunk, and so by water to W. Symons, where D. Scobell with his wife, a pretty and rich woman. Mrs. Symons, a very fine woman, very merry after dinner with marrying of Luellin and D. Scobellβs kinswoman that was there. Then to my Lord who told me how the King has given him the place of the great Wardrobe.531 My Lord resolves to have Sarah again.532 I to my fatherβs, and then to see my uncle and aunt Fenner. So home and to bed.
16th. Rose betimes and abroad in one shirt, which brought me a great cold and pain. Murford took me to Harveyβs by my fatherβs to drink and told me of a business that I hope to get Β£5 by. To my Lord, and so to Whitehall with him about the Clerk of the Privy Sealβs place, which he is to have. Then to the Admiralty, where I wrote some letters. Here Coll. Thompson told me, as a great secret; that the Nazeby was on fire when the King was there, but that is not known; when God knows it is quite false. Got a piece of gold from Major Holmes533 for the horse of Dixwellβs I brought to town. Dined at Mr. Crewβs, and after dinner with my Lord to Whitehall. Court attendance infinite tedious. Back with my Lord to my Lady Wrightβs and stayed till it had done raining, which it had not done a great while. After that at night home to my fatherβs and to bed.
17th (Lordβs day). Lay long abed. To Mr. Mossumβs; a good sermon. This day the organs did begin to play at Whitehall before the King.534 Dined at my fatherβs. After dinner to Mr. Mossumβs again, and so in the garden, and heard Chippellβs father preach, that was Page to the Protector, and just by the window that I stood at sat Mrs. Butler, the great beauty.535 After sermon to my Lord. Mr. Edward and I into Grayβs Inn walks, and saw many beauties. So to my fatherβs, where Mr. Cook, W. Bowyer, and my coz Roger Wharton supped and to bed.
18th. To my Lordβs, where much business and some hopes of getting some money thereby. With him to the Parliament House, where he did intend to have gone to have made his appearance today, but he met Mr. Crew upon the stairs, and would not go in. He went to Mrs. Brownβs, and stayed till word was brought him what was done in the House. This day they made an end of the twenty men to be excepted from pardon to their estates. By barge to Stepny with my Lord, where at Trinity House we had great entertainment.536 With my Lord there went Sir W. Penn, Sir H. Wright, Hetly, Pierce; Creed, Hill, I and other servants. Back again to the Admiralty, and so to my Lordβs lodgings, where he told me that he did look after the place
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