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

Editedwith 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