Produced by David Widger

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 LIBRARYMAGDALENE COLLEGE CAMBRIDGE BY THE REV. MYNORS BRIGHT M.A. LATE FELLOW AND PRESIDENT OF THE COLLEGE

(Unabridged)

WITH LORD BRAYBROOKE'S NOTES

EDITED WITH ADDITIONS BY

HENRY B. WHEATLEY F.S.A.

                          DIARY OF SAMUEL PEPYS.
                                DECEMBER
                                  1668

December 1st. Up, and to the office, where sat all the morning, and atnoon with my people to dinner, and so to the office, very busy till night,and then home and made my boy read to me Wilkins's Reall Character, whichdo please me mightily, and so after supper to bed with great pleasure andcontent with my wife. This day I hear of poor Mr. Clerke, the solicitor,being dead, of a cold, after being not above two days ill, which troublesme mightily, poor man!

2nd. Up, and at the office all the morning upon some accounts of Sir D.Gawden, and at noon abroad with W. Hewer, thinking to have found Mr. Wrenat Captain Cox's, to have spoke something to him about doing a favour forWill's uncle Steventon, but missed him. And so back home and abroad withmy wife, the first time that ever I rode in my own coach, which do make myheart rejoice, and praise God, and pray him to bless it to me and continueit. So she and I to the King's playhouse, and there sat to avoid seeingKnepp in a box above where Mrs. Williams happened to be, and there saw"The Usurper;" a pretty good play, in all but what is designed to resembleCromwell and Hugh Peters, which is mighty silly. The play done, we toWhite Hall; where my wife staid while I up to the Duchesse's and Queen'sside, to speak with the Duke of York: and here saw all the ladies, andheard the silly discourse of the King, with his people about him, tellinga story of my Lord Rochester's having of his clothes stole, while he waswith a wench; and his gold all gone, but his clothes found afterwardsstuffed into a feather bed by the wench that stole them. I spoke with theDuke of York, just as he was set down to supper with the King, about oursending of victuals to Sir Thomas Allen's fleet hence to Cales [Cadiz] tomeet him. And so back to my wife in my coach, and so with great contentand joy home, where I made my boy to make an end of the Reall Character,which I begun a great while ago, and do please me infinitely, and indeedis a most worthy labour, and I think mighty easy, though my eyes make meunable to attempt any thing in it. To-day I hear that Mr. Ackworth'scause went for him at Guildhall, against his accusers, which I am wellenough pleased with.

3rd. Up betimes, and by water with W. Hewer to White Hall, and there toMr. Wren, who gives me but small hopes of the favour I hoped for Mr.Steventon, Will's uncle, of having leave, being upon the point of death,to surrender his place, which do trouble me, but I will do what I can. Soback again to the Office, Sir Jer. Smith with me; who is a silly, prating,talking man; but he tells me what he hears, that Holmes and Spragg nowrule all with the Duke of Buckingham, as to seabusiness, and will be greatmen: but he do prophesy what will be the fruit of it; so I do. So to theOffice, where we sat all the morning; and at noon home to dinner, and thenabroad again, with my wife, to the Duke of York's playhouse, and saw "TheUnfortunat

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