Tuesday 4 May 1669
Up, and to the office, and then my wife being gone to see her mother at Deptford, I before the office sat went to the Excise Office, and thence being alone stepped into Duck Lane, and thence tried to have sent a porter to Deb.’s, but durst not trust him, and therefore having bought a book to satisfy the bookseller for my stay there, a 12d. book, Andronicus of Tom Fuller, I took coach, and at the end of Jewen Street next Red Cross Street I sent the coachman to her lodging, and understand she is gone for Greenwich to one Marys’s, a tanner’s, at which I, was glad, hoping to have opportunity to find her out; and so, in great fear of being seen, I to the office, and there all the morning, dined at home, and presently after dinner comes home my wife, who I believe is jealous of my spending the day, and I had very good fortune in being at home, for if Deb. had been to have been found it is forty to one but I had been abroad, God forgive me. So the afternoon at the office, and at night walked with my wife in the garden, and my Lord Brouncker with us, who is newly come to W. Pen’s lodgings; and by and by comes Mr. Hooke; and my Lord, and he, and I into my Lord’s lodgings, and there discoursed of many fine things in philosophy, to my great content, and so home to supper and to bed.
15 Annotations
First Reading
Terry Foreman • Link
"bought a book to satisfy the bookseller for my stay there...Andronicus"
Its subtitle tells a tale: "Andronicus, Or, The Unfortunate Politician: Shewing, Sin; Slowly Punished, Right; Surely Rescued"
Andrew Hamilton • Link
Its subtitle tells a tale:
Sam's purchase shows he knows he is in need of moral courage.
Anonymous • Link
" . . . bought a book to satisfy the bookseller for my stay there, a 12d. book, Andronicus of Tom Fuller . . ."
I could not find a listing for this book by Fuller in the "Catalogue of the Pepys Library at Magdalene College". It may be there, but I doubt Sam bought the book for his collection.
Robert Gertz • Link
I've a feeling these few entries will cause our boy many bitter tears one day.
Jesse • Link
From the pathetic "hoping to have opportunity to find her out" to the sublime "discourse of many fine things in philosophy" - with Hooke and L. Brouncker no less.
martinb • Link
"Up, and to the office, and then my wife being gone to see her mother at Deptford..."
Most of the rest of the entry drearily predictable. For once.
phoenix • Link
It is Deb, Tom, Jane, Betty etc. It is never Elizabeth - curious. Anyone know why?
Australian Susan • Link
For someone so obviously intelligent, Sam can be a right idiot sometimes. But it is so amazing that he rights up this behaviour with such candour.
Second Reading
Terry Foreman • Link
Andronicus of Tom Fuller - not in the Pepys Library.
A study in tyranny, allegedly in 12th-century Byzantium; in reality about the emergence of tyranny (founded on 'pretended religion') from the Civil War. (L&M)
Tonyel • Link
"I sent the coachman to her lodging, and understand she is gone for Greenwich to one Marys’s"
I'm always interested in the minor practicalities of life in Sam's day. Can't imagine a modern cabbie leaving his car in the care of a passenger to run a discreet errand. I wonder if there was some sort of clamp to stop this lustful knave stealing both coach and horses...
Carl • Link
And he never uses his wife's name!
San Diego Sarah • Link
"It is Deb, Tom, Jane, Betty etc. It is never Elizabeth - curious. Anyone know why?"
"And he never uses his wife's name!"
It’s never Elizabeth because she has a title worth of unquestioning, knee-jerk respect: my wife.
This also establishes that she is his property. Her name would acknowledge Elizabeth’s selfhood.
That same unquestioning respect also goes to His Majesty, His Highness, and My Lord, etc.
San Diego Sarah • Link
“it is forty to one but I had been abroad”
-– such odds as I have never seen before.
San Diego Sarah • Link
Agreed Jesse – Imagine an evening spent discussing philosophy with the likes of Robert Hooke and Lord Brouncker! That would be “to my great content” and sublime also.
No wonder Pepys finds Sunday sermons dull. There was so much exciting information and ideas just wafting about in the ether. It's very hard for the Church of England to keep up with the age of reason.
San Diego Sarah • Link
"I sent the coachman to her lodging, and understand she is gone for Greenwich to one Mary’s"
Pepys guarded the coach, and a big enough tip got his this errand, I presume. I wonder if his boy was along and what story was spun to explain this strange event.