Quotes and Images From The Diary of Samuel Pepys - Samuel Pepys
QUOTES AND IMAGES FROM THE DIARY OF PEPYS
THE DIARY OF SAMUEL PEPYS
By Samuel Pepys
20s. in money, and what wine she
needed, for the burying him
A good handsome wench I kissed, the
first that I have seen
A fair salute on horseback, in
Rochester streets, of the lady
A most conceited fellow and not over
much in him
A conceited man, but of no Logique in
his head at all
A pretty man, I would be content to
break a commandment with him
A lady spit backward upon me by a
mistake
A play not very good, though commended
much
A cat will be a cat still
A book the Bishops will not let be
printed again
A most tedious, unreasonable, and
impertinent sermon
About two o'clock, too late and too
soon to go home to bed
Academy was dissolved by order of the
Pope
Act of Council passed, to put out all
Papists in office
Advantage a man of the law hath over
all other people
Afeard of being louzy
After taking leave of my wife, which we
could hardly do kindly
After awhile I caressed her and parted
seeming friends
After many protestings by degrees I did
arrive at what I would
After oysters, at first course, a hash
of rabbits, a lamb
After a harsh word or two my wife and I
good friends
All ended in love
All made much worse in their report
among people than they are
All the fleas came to him and not to me
All divided that were bred so long at
school together
All may see how slippery places all
courtiers stand in
All things to be managed with faction
All the towne almost going out of towne
(Plague panic)
Ambassador--that he is an honest man
sent to lie abroad
Among many lazy people that the
diligent man becomes necessary
An exceeding pretty lass, and right for
the sport
An offer of L500 for a Baronet's
dignity
And for his beef, says he, "Look how
fat it is"
And if ever I fall on it again, I
deserve to be undone
And a deal of do of which I am weary
And they did lay pigeons to his feet
And there, did what I would with her
And so to sleep till the morning, but
was bit cruelly
And so to bed and there entertained her
with great content
And feeling for a chamber-pott, there
was none
And with the great men in curing of
their claps
And so by coach, though hard to get it,
being rainy, home
Angry, and so continued till bed, and
did not sleep friends
Aptness I have to be troubled at any
thing that crosses me
Archbishop is a wencher, and known to
be so
As much his friend as his interest will
let him
As very a gossip speaking of her
neighbours as any body
As all other women, cry, and yet talk
of other things
As he called it, the King's seventeenth
whore abroad
As all things else did not come up to
my expectations
Asleep, while the wench sat mending my
breeches by my bedside
At least 12 or 14,000 people in the
street (to see the hanging)
At a loss whether it will be better for
me to have him die
Badge of slavery upon the whole people
(taxes)
Baker's house in Pudding Lane, where
the late great fire begun
Baseness and looseness of the Court
Bath at the top of his house
Beare-garden
Because I would not be over sure of any
thing
Before I sent my boy out with them, I
beat him for a lie
Begun to smell, and so I caused it to
be set forth (corpse)
Being there, and seeming to do
something, while we do not
Being cleansed of lice this day by my
wife
Being very poor and mean as to the
bearing with trouble
Being taken with a Psalmbook or
Testament
Below what people think these great
people say and do
Best fence against the Parliament's
present fury is delay
Better now than never
Bewailing the vanity and disorders of
the age
Bite at the stone, and not at the hand
that flings it
Bleeding behind by leeches will cure
him
Bold to deliver what he thinks on every
occasion
Book itself, and both it and them not
worth a turd
Bookseller's, and there looked for
Montaigne's Essays
Bottle of strong water; whereof now and
then a sip did me good
Bought for the love of the binding
three books
Bought Montaigne's Essays, in English
Bowling-ally (where lords and ladies
are now at bowles)
Boy up to-night for his sister to teach
him to put me to bed
Bring me a periwig, but it was full of
nits
Bringing over one discontented man, you
raise up three
Bristol milk (the sherry) in the vaults
Broken sort of people, that have not
much to lose
Burned it, that it might not be among
my books to my shame
Business of abusing the Puritans begins
to grow stale
But a woful rude rabble there was, and
such noises
But so fearful I am of discontenting my
wife
But I think I am not bound to discover
myself
But we were friends again as we are
always
But this the world believes, and so let
them
But if she will ruin herself, I cannot
help it
But my wife vexed, which vexed me
Buy some roll-tobacco to smell to and
chaw
Buying up of goods in case there should
be war
Buying his place of my Lord Barkely
By his many words and no understanding,
confound himself
By chewing of tobacco is become very
fat and sallow
By and by met at her chamber, and there
did what I would
By her wedding-ring, I suppose he hath
married her at last
Called at a little ale-house, and had
an eele pye
Came to bed to me, but all would not
make me friends
Cannot bring myself to mind my business
Cannot be clean to go so many bodies
together in the same water
Cast stones with his horne crooke
Castlemayne is sicke again, people
think, slipping her filly
Catched cold yesterday by putting off
my stockings
Catholiques are everywhere and bold
Cavaliers have now the upper hand clear
of the Presbyterians
Charles Barkeley's greatness is only
his being pimp to the King
Chocolate was introduced into England
about the year 1652
Church, where a most insipid young
coxcomb preached
City to be burned, and the Papists to
cut our throats
Clap of the pox which he got about
twelve years ago
Clean myself with warm water; my wife
will have me
Comb my head clean, which I found so
foul with powdering
Come to see them in bed together, on
their wedding-night
Come to us out of bed in his furred
mittens and furred cap
Comely black woman.--[The old
expression for a brunette.]
Coming to lay out a great deal of money
in clothes for my wife
Commons, where there is nothing done
but by passion, and faction
Compliment from my aunt, which I take
kindly as it is unusual
Confidence, and vanity, and disparages
everything
Confusion of years in the case of the
months of January (etc.)
Consult my pillow upon that and every
great thing of my life
Content as to be at our own home, after
being abroad awhile
Contracted for her as if he had been
buying a horse
Convenience of periwiggs is so great
Could not saw above 4 inches of the
stone in a day
Counterfeit mirthe and pleasure with
them, but had but little
Court is in a way to ruin all for their
pleasures
Court attendance infinite tedious
Craft and cunning concerning the buying
and choosing of horses
Credit of this office hath received by
this rogue's occasion
Cruel custom of throwing at cocks on
Shrove Tuesday
Cure of the King's evil, which he do
deny altogether
Dare not oppose it alone for making an
enemy and do no good
Declared he will never have another
public mistress again
Delight to see these poor fools decoyed
into our condition
Deliver her from the hereditary curse
of child-bearing
Desk fastened to one of the armes of
his chayre
Did dig another, and put our wine in
it; and I my Parmazan cheese
Did extremely beat him, and though it
did trouble me to do it
Did so watch to see my wife put on
drawers, which (she did)
Did take me up very prettily in one or
two things that I said
Did much insist upon the sin of
adultery
Did go to Shoe Lane to see a
cocke-fighting at a new pit there
Did find none of them within, which I
was glad of
Did tumble them all the afternoon as I
pleased
Did trouble me very much to be at
charge to no purpose
Did see the knaveries and tricks of
jockeys
Did not like that Clergy should meddle
with matters of state
Did put evil thoughts in me, but
proceeded no further
Dined with my wife on pease porridge
and nothing else
Dined upon six of my pigeons, which my
wife has resolved to kill
Dined at home alone, a good calves head
boiled and dumplings
Dinner, an ill and little mean one,
with foul cloth and dishes
Discontented at the pride and luxury of
the Court
Discontented that my wife do not go
neater now she has two maids
Discourse of Mr. Evelyn touching all
manner of learning
Discoursed much against a man's lying
with his wife in Lent
Discoursing upon the sad condition of
the times
Disease making us more cruel to one
another than if we are doggs
Disorder in the pit by its raining in,
from the cupola
Disquiet all night, telling of the
clock till it was daylight
Do outdo the Lords infinitely (debates
in the Commons)
Do look upon me as a remembrancer of
his former vanity
Do bury still of the plague seven or
eight in a day
Doe from Cobham, when the season comes,
bucks season being past
Dog attending us, which made us all
merry again
Dog, that would turn a sheep any way
which
Doubtfull of himself, and easily be
removed from his own opinion
Down to the Whey house and drank some
and eat some curds
Dr. Calamy is this day sent to Newgate
for preaching
Drink a dish of coffee
Driven down again with a stinke by Sir
W. Pen's shying of a pot
Duke of York and Mrs. Palmer did talk
to one another very wanton
Duodecimal arithmetique
Durst not take notice of her, her
husband being there
Dying this last week of the plague 112,
from 43 the week before
Eat some of the best cheese-cakes that
ever I eat in my life
Eat of the best cold meats that ever I
eat on in all my life
Eat a mouthful of pye at home to stay
my stomach
Eat some butter and radishes
Enough existed to build a ship (Pieces
of the true Cross)
Enquiring into the selling of places do
trouble a great many
Erasmus "de scribendis epistolis"
Even to the having bad words with my
wife, and blows too
Every man looking after himself, and
his owne lust and luxury
Every small thing is enough now-a-days
to bring a difference
Every body leads, and nobody follows
Every body is at a great losse and
nobody can tell
Every body's looks, and discourse in
the street is of death
Exceeding kind to me, more than usual,
which makes me afeard
Exclaiming against men's wearing their
hats on in the church
Excommunications, which they send upon
the least occasions
Expectation of profit will have its
force
Expected musique, the missing of which
spoiled my dinner
Faced white coat, made of one of my
wife's pettycoates
Familiarity with her other servants is
it that spoils them all
Fanatiques do say that the end of the
world is at hand
Fashionable and black spots
Fear all his kindness is but only his
lust to her
Fear that the goods and estate would be
seized (after suicide)
Fear it may do him no good, but me hurt
Fear I shall not be able to wipe my
hands of him again
Fear she should prove honest and refuse
and then tell my wife
Feared I might meet with some people
that might know me
Fearful that I might not go far enough
with my hat off
Fears some will stand for the
tolerating of Papists
Fell to sleep as if angry
Fell a-crying for joy, being all
maudlin and kissing one another
Fell to dancing, the first time that
ever I did in my life
Fetch masts from New England
Feverish, and hath sent for Mr. Pierce
to let him blood
Few in any age that do mind anything
that is abstruse
Find that now and then a little
difference do no hurte
Find it a base copy of a good
originall, that vexed me
Find myself to over-value things when a
child
Finding my wife not sick, but yet out
of order
Finding my wife's clothes lie
carelessly laid up
Fire grow; and, as it grew darker,
appeared more and more
First time that ever I heard the organs
in a cathedral
First their apes, that they may be
afterwards their slaves
First thing of that nature I did ever
give her (L10 ring)
First time I had given her leave to
wear a black patch
Fixed that the year should commence in
January instead of March
Fool's play with which all publick
things are done
For my quiet would not enquire into it
For, for her part, she should not be
buried in the commons
For a land-tax and against a general
excise
For I will not be inward with him that
is open to another
For I will be hanged before I seek to
him, unless I see I need
Force a man to swear against himself
Forced to change gold, 8s. 7d.;
servants and poor, 1s. 6d.
Forgetting many things, which her
master beat her for
Formerly say that the King was a
bastard and his mother a whore
Found my brother John at eight o'clock
in bed, which vexed me
Found him a fool, as he ever was, or
worse
Found him not so ill as I thought that
he had been ill
Found in my head and body about twenty
lice, little and great
Found to be with child, do never stir
out of their beds
Found guilty, and likely will be hanged
(for stealing spoons)
France, which is accounted the best
place for bread
Frequent trouble in things we deserve
best in
Frogs and many insects do often fall
from the sky, ready formed
From some fault in the meat to complain
of my maid's sluttery
Gadding abroad to look after beauties
Galileo's air thermometer, made before
1597
Gamester's life, which I see is very
miserable, and poor
Gave him his morning draft
Generally with corruption, but most
indeed with neglect
Gentlewomen did hold up their heads to
be kissed by the King
Get his lady to trust herself with him
into the tavern
Give the King of France Nova Scotia,
which he do not like
Give her a Lobster and do so touse her
and feel her all over
Give the other notice of the future
state, if there was any
Glad to be at friendship with me,
though we hate one another
Gladder to have just now received it
(than a promise)
God knows that I do not find honesty
enough in my own mind
God forgive me! what thoughts and
wishes I had
God help him, he wants bread.
God forgive me! what a mind I had to
her
God! what an age is this, and what a
world is this
Going with her woman to a hot-house to
bathe herself
Gold holds up its price still
Goldsmiths in supplying the King with
money at dear rates
Good sport of the bull's tossing of the
dogs
Good wine, and anchovies, and pickled
oysters (for breakfast)
Good purpose of fitting ourselves for
another war (A Peace)
Good writers are not admired by the
present
Got her upon my knee (the coach being
full) and played with her
Great thaw it is not for a man to walk
the streets
Great newes of the Swedes declaring for
us against the Dutch
Great deale of tittle tattle discourse
to little purpose
Great many silly stories they tell of
their sport
Greater number of Counsellors is, the
more confused the issue
Greatest businesses are done so
superficially
Had no more manners than to invite me
and to let me pay
Had his hand cut off, and was hanged
presently!
Had what pleasure almost I would with
her
Had the umbles of it for dinner
Half a pint of Rhenish wine at the
Still-yard, mixed with beer
Hanged with a silken halter
Hanging jack to roast birds on
Hard matter to settle to business after
so much leisure
Hate in others, and more in myself, to
be careless of keys
Hates to have any body mention what he
had done the day before
Hath not a liberty of begging till he
hath served three years
Hath a good heart to bear, or a cunning
one to conceal his evil
Hath given her the pox, but I hope it
is not so
Have not known her this fortnight
almost, which is a pain to me
Have not any awe over them from the
King's displeasure (Commons)
Have not much to lose, and therefore
will venture all
Have been so long absent that I am
ashamed to go
Having some experience, but greater
conceit of it than is fit
He that will not stoop for a pin, will
never be worth a pound
He made but a poor sermon, but long
He has been inconvenienced by being too
free in discourse
He having made good promises, though I
fear his performance
He hoped he should live to see her
"ugly and willing"
He is too wise to be made a friend of
He was fain to lie in the priest's hole
a good while
He was charged with making himself
popular
He is, I perceive, wholly sceptical, as
well as I
He is a man of no worth in the world
but compliment
He is not a man fit to be told what one
hears
Heard noises over their head upon the
leads
Heeling her on one side to make her
draw little water
Helping to slip their calfes when there
is occasion
Her months upon her is gone to bed
Here I first saw oranges grow
Hired her to procure this poor soul for
him
His enemies have done him as much good
as he could wish
His readiness to speak spoilt all
His satisfaction is nothing worth, it
being easily got
His company ever wearys me
Holes for me to see from my closet into
the great office
Hopes to have had a bout with her
before she had gone
Houses marked with a red cross upon the
doors
How the Presbyterians would be angry if
they durst
How highly the Presbyters do talk in
the coffeehouses still
How little merit do prevail in the
world, but only favour
How little heed is had to the prisoners
and sicke and wounded
How unhappily a man may fall into a
necessity of bribing people
How natural it is for us to slight
people out of power
How little to be presumed of in our
greatest undertakings
Hugged, it being cold now in the
mornings . . . .
I took occasion to be angry with him
I could not forbear to love her
exceedingly
I do not value her, or mind her as I
ought
I did what I would, and might have done
anything else
I have itched mightily these 6 or 7
days
I know not whether to be glad or sorry
I was as merry as I could counterfeit
myself to be
I could have answered, but forbore
I have a good mind to have the
maidenhead of this girl
I know not how in the world to abstain
from reading
I fear that it must be as it can, and
not as I would
I had six noble dishes for them,
dressed by a man-cook
I find her painted, which makes me
loathe her (cosmetics)
I did get her hand to me under my cloak
I perceive no passion in a woman can be
lasting long
I having now seen a play every day this
week
I was very angry, and resolve to beat
him to-morrow
I know not yet what that is, and am
ashamed to ask
I do not like his being angry and in
debt both together to me
I will not by any over submission make
myself cheap
I slept soundly all the sermon
I and she never were so heartily angry
in our lives as to-day
I calling her beggar, and she me
pricklouse, which vexed me
I love the treason I hate the traitor
I would not enquire into anything, but
let her talk
I kissed the bride in bed, and so the
curtaines drawne
I have promised, but know not when I
shall perform
I met a dead corps of the plague, in
the narrow ally
I am a foole to be troubled at it,
since I cannot helpe it
I was exceeding free in dallying with
her, and she not unfree
I was a great Roundhead when I was a
boy
I pray God to make me able to pay for
it.
I took a broom and basted her till she
cried extremely
I was demanded L100, for the fee of the
office at 6d. a pound
I never designed to be a witness
against any man
I fear is not so good as she should be
If the exportations exceed importations
If it should come in print my name
maybe at it
Ill from my late cutting my hair so
close to my head
Ill all this day by reason of the last
night's debauch
Ill sign when we are once to come to
study how to excuse
Ill humour to be so against that which
all the world cries up
Ill-bred woman, would take exceptions
at anything any body said
In my nature am mighty unready to
answer no to anything
In men's clothes, and had the best legs
that ever I saw
In our graves (as Shakespeere resembles
it) we could dream
In discourse he seems to be wise and
say little
In perpetual trouble and vexation that
need it least
In comes Mr. North very sea-sick from
shore
In a hackney and full of people, was
ashamed to be seen
In my dining-room she was doing
something upon the pott
Inconvenience that do attend the
increase of a man's fortune
Inoffensive vanity of a man who loved
to see himself in the glass
Instructed by Shakespeare himself
Irish in Ireland, whom Cromwell had
settled all in one corner
It not being handsome for our servants
to sit so equal with us
Justice of God in punishing men for the
sins of their ancestors
Justice of proceeding not to condemn a
man unheard
Keep at interest, which is a good,
quiett, and easy profit
King is at the command of any woman
like a slave
King shall not be able to whip a cat
King was gone to play at Tennis
King hath lost his power, by submitting
himself to this way
King do resolve to declare the Duke of
Monmouth legitimate
King himself minding nothing but his
ease
King is not at present in purse to do
King is mighty kind to these his
bastard children
King the necessity of having, at least,
a show of religion
King be desired to put all Catholiques
out of employment
King still do doat upon his women, even
beyond all shame
King is offended with the Duke of
Richmond's marrying
King of France did think other princes
fit for nothing
King governed by his lust, and women,
and rogues about him
King do tire all his people that are
about him with early rising
King's service is undone, and those
that trust him perish
King's Proclamation against drinking,
swearing, and debauchery
Kingdom will fall back again to a
commonwealth
Kiss my Parliament, instead of "Kiss my
[rump]"
Know yourself to be secure, in being
necessary to the office
L'escholle des filles, a lewd book
Lady Castlemayne is compounding with
the King for a pension
Lady Duchesse the veryest slut and
drudge
Lady Batten to give me a spoonful of
honey for my cold
Lady Castlemaine is still as great with
the King
Lady Castlemayne's nose out of joynt
Lady Castlemayne is now in a higher
command over the King
Lady Castlemayne do rule all at this
time as much as ever
Laissez nous affaire--Colbert
Last day of their doubtfulness touching
her being with child
Last act of friendship in telling me of
my faults also
Laughing and jeering at every thing
that looks strange
Lay long caressing my wife and talking
Lay long in bed talking and pleasing
myself with my wife
Lay chiding, and then pleased with my
wife in bed
Lay with her to-night, which I have not
done these eight (days)
Learned the multiplication table for
the first time in 1661
Learnt a pretty trick to try whether a
woman be a maid or no
Lechery will never leave him
Let me blood, about sixteen ounces, I
being exceedingly full
Let her brew as she has baked
Lewdness and beggary of the Court
Liability of a husband to pay for goods
supplied his wife
Liberty of speech in the House
Listening to no reasoning for it, be it
good or bad
Little content most people have in the
peace
Little children employed, every one to
do something
Little worth of this world, to buy it
with so much pain
Long cloaks being now quite out
Look askew upon my wife, because my
wife do not buckle to them
Lord! to see the absurd nature of
Englishmen
Lord! in the dullest insipid manner
that ever lover did
Lust and wicked lives of the nuns
heretofore in England
Luxury and looseness of the times
Lying a great while talking and
sporting in bed with my wife
Made a lazy sermon, like a Presbyterian
Made to drink, that they might know him
not to be a Roundhead
Made him admire my drawing a thing
presently in shorthand
Magnifying the graces of the nobility
and prelates
Make a man wonder at the good fortune
of such a fool
Man cannot live without playing the
knave and dissimulation
Matters in Ireland are full of
discontent
Meazles, we fear, or, at least, of a
scarlett feavour
Methought very ill, or else I am grown
worse to please
Milke, which I drank to take away, my
heartburne
Mirrors which makes the room seem both
bigger and lighter
Money I have not, nor can get
Money, which sweetens all things
Montaigne is conscious that we are
looking over his shoulder
Most flat dead sermon, both for matter
and manner of delivery
Most homely widow, but young, and
pretty rich, and good natured
Mr. William Pen a Quaker again
Much discourse, but little to be
learned
Musique in the morning to call up our
new-married people
Muske Millon
My wife, coming up suddenly, did find
me embracing the girl
My wife hath something in her gizzard,
that only waits
My heart beginning to falsify in this
business
My old folly and childishnesse hangs
upon me still
My new silk suit, the first that ever I
wore in my life
My Lord, who took physic to-day and was
in his chamber
My wife will keep to one another and
let the world go hang
My wife this night troubled at my
leaving her alone so much
My wife was making of her tarts and
larding of her pullets
My head was not well with the wine that
I drank to-day
My first attempt being to learn the
multiplication-table