Saturday 13 January 1665/66

At the office all the morning, where my Lord Bruncker moved to have something wrote in my matter as I desired him last night, and it was ordered and will be done next sitting. Home with his Lordship to Mrs. Williams’s, in Covent-Garden, to dinner (the first time I ever was there), and there met Captain Cocke; and pretty merry, though not perfectly so, because of the fear that there is of a great encrease again of the plague this week. And again my Lord Bruncker do tell us, that he hath it from Sir John Baber; who is related to my Lord Craven, that my Lord Craven do look after Sir G. Carteret’s place, and do reckon himself sure of it. After dinner Cocke and I together by coach to the Exchange, in our way talking of our matters, and do conclude that every thing must breake in pieces, while no better counsels govern matters than there seem to do, and that it will become him and I and all men to get their reckonings even, as soon as they can, and expect all to breake. Besides, if the plague continues among us another yeare, the Lord knows what will become of us. I set him down at the ’Change, and I home to my office, where late writing letters and doing business, and thence home to supper and to bed. My head full of cares, but pleased with my wife’s minding her worke so well, and busying herself about her house, and I trust in God if I can but clear myself of my Lord Sandwich’s bond, wherein I am bound with him for 1000l. to T. Pepys, I shall do pretty well, come what will come.

6 Annotations

First Reading

Terry Foreman  •  Link

"At the office all the morning, where my Lord Bruncker moved to have something wrote in my matter as I desired him last night, and it was ordered and will be done next sitting."

Last night's entry's penultimate sentence:
"thinking it fit to have for my honour some thing reported in writing to the Duke in favour of my pains in [my paper...about pursers], lest it should be thought to be rejected as frivolous, I did move it to my Lord, and he will see it done to-morrow." http://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/1…

Margaret  •  Link

"...my Lord Craven do look after Sir G. Carteret’s place..."

Today, I would take that to mean that Craven is house-sitting for Carteret. But I assume that Pepys means that Craven hopes to get Carteret's job.

Robert Gertz  •  Link

"My head full of cares, but pleased with my wife’s minding her worke so well, and busying herself about her house..."

"You slunk very gracefully this evening, wretch."

***
Actually, one might hope she's fixing the place up to entertain...friends.

"Yes." Sam chortles over his success in securing control at home. "She's minding things quite well these days at home, fixing the place up...No trouble at Chez Pepys, I can tell you."

"Indeed." Batten and Minnes nod...Heh, heh.

"Quite a good-looking work crew she's had over to help these last few..." Minnes notes, polite smile.

"I see Captain Ferrers, young Penn, Sibley, Povy, even Lord Sandwich have been over to see the results. Must be quite a room. I've even been...Invited." Batten smiling benignly.

"Really? What workmen? I never..."

"Yes, there's been quite a parade of people over there. It's good you're in such fine control at home, Pepys. If Lady Batten were showing her closet to such a line of men, apparently one at a time, I'd be unable to contain myself."

"Just saw that dancing master of yours, Pembleton, heading over..." Minnes, beaming. "I take it you plan to use the room for dancing...Or something like it?"

"Pardon me, gentlemen."

Tony Eldridge  •  Link

"do conclude that every thing must breake in pieces...and that it will become him and I and all men to get their reckonings even, as soon as they can, and expect all to breake."

Such an echo of New Year 2009!

Second Reading

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