30th.  A solemn fast for the King’s murther, and we were forced to keep it more than we would have done, having forgot to take any victuals into the house.  I to church in the forenoon, and Mr. Mills made a good sermon upon David’s heart smiting him for cutting off the garment of Saul.

     [Samuel, chap. xxiv. v. 5, “And it came to pass afterward, that
     David’s heart smote him, because he bad cut off Saul’s skirt.”]

Home, and whiled away some of the afternoon at home talking with my wife.  So to my office, and all alone making up my month’s accounts, which to my great trouble I find that I am got no further than L640.  But I have had great expenses this month.  I pray God the next may be a little better, as I hope it will.  In the evening my manuscript is brought home handsomely bound, to my full content; and now I think I have a better collection in reference to the Navy, and shall have by the time I have filled it, than any of my predecessors.  So home and eat something such as we have, bread and butter and milk, and so to bed.

31st.  Up and to my office, and there we sat till noon.  I home to dinner, and there found my plate of the Soverayne with the table to it come from Mr. Christopher Pett, of which I am very glad.  So to dinner late, and not very good, only a rabbit not half roasted, which made me angry with my wife.  So to the office, and there till late, busy all the while.  In the evening examining my wife’s letter intended to my Lady, and another to Mademoiselle; they were so false spelt that I was ashamed of them, and took occasion to fall out about them with my wife, and so she wrote none, at which, however, I was, sorry, because it was in answer to a letter of Madam about business.  Late home to supper and to bed.

                          Diaryof Samuel Pepys. 
                                February
                                1662-1663

February 1st (Lord’s day).  Up and to church, where Mr. Mills, a good sermon, and so home and had a good dinner with my wife, with which I was pleased to see it neatly done, and this troubled me to think of parting with Jane, that is come to be a very good cook.  After dinner walked to my Lord Sandwich, and staid with him in the chamber talking almost all the afternoon, he being not yet got abroad since his sickness.  Many discourses we had; but, among others, how Sir R. Bernard is turned out of his Recordership of Huntingdon by the Commissioners for Regulation, &c., at which I am troubled, because he, thinking it is done by my Lord Sandwich, will act some of his revenge, it is likely, upon me in my business, so that I must cast about me to get some other counsel to rely upon.  In the evening came Mr. Povey and others to see my Lord, and they gone, my Lord and I and Povey fell to the business of Tangier, as to the victualling, and so broke up, and I, it being a fine frost, my boy lighting me I walked home, and