Friday 30 December 1664
Lay very long in bed with my wife, it being very cold, and my wife very full of a resolution to keepe within doors, not so much as to go to church or see my Lady Sandwich before Easter next, which I am willing enough to, though I seem the contrary. This and other talke kept me a-bed till almost 10 a’clock. Then up and made an end of looking over all my papers and books and taking everything out of my chamber to have all made clean. At noon dined, and after dinner forth to several places to pay away money, to clear myself in all the world, and, among others, paid my bookseller 6l. for books I had from him this day, and the silversmith 22l. 18s. for spoons, forks, and sugar box, and being well pleased with seeing my business done to my mind as to my meeting with people and having my books ready for me, I home and to my office, and there did business late, and then home to supper, prayers, and to bed.
12 Annotations
First Reading
Terry Foreman • Link
"paid my bookseller 6l. for books I had from him this day"
Perhaps there are more books to come on the morrow? This is less than he resolved to lay out 14 December: “to my bookseller’s, and there spoke for several books against New Year’s day, I resolving to lay out about 7l. or 8l., God having given me some profit extraordinary of late;” http://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/1…
Martin • Link
Keeping in doors
Is this just, "It's so cold I'm not leaving this house till Easter" -- or is there something else going on here?
cape henry • Link
The most businesslike of days, pulling together loose ends, except for the sentence Martin highlights. What, indeed, is going on here? And then Sam reveals his own dissembling by reporting that he pretended to argue with his wife about while secretly being in favor of her idea. Surely Elizabeth doesn't think her black eye will last until Easter. Very odd.
Terry Foreman • Link
"not so much as to go to church or see my Lady Sandwich before Easter next"
Of course SP loves to ogle the other beauties at church (and hasn't reported on a sermon's content for a long while); but has he not approved of EP's visits to Lady Sandwich, or does he intend to claim this as his own perquisite?
jeannine • Link
“Journal of the Earl of Sandwich” edited by R.C. Anderson
30th. Friday. I saw the Blazing Star in the head of the whale, distant from Os Baleni 9°43’, from the 3rd star in Ore Baleni 9° 13’, about 6 oclock at night. His stream was yet weaker than formerly, directed to a small star right above Os Baleni about 8 degrees from the comet.
cgs • Link
Last day of the year coming up, get all thy debts out of the way, no roll over unless thee would like a rest in one of the debtors rest homes. Things be simple, no long term mortgages as such, just settle thy tab. Do not forget to settle thy arguments while thee be at it too.
Clean house and start with a clean slate.
"Ah ! that be good of thee, Mr Pepys, now I be paying my tab"
Todd Bernhardt • Link
"which I am willing enough to, though I seem the contrary"
I think it's probably a matter of Sam wanting to keep control over Elizabeth, the house, his diet, etc. Easier to do, after all, if she's a homebody.
But what is Elizabeth up to? Oh, the games couples play...
John Lightbody • Link
'...my wife very full of a resolution to keepe within doors, not so much as to go to church or see my Lady Sandwich before Easter next..'
Simply a case of Sam letting us hear the actual voice of his young wife abed still at mid morning, exhausted from the festive season?
'Don't let me go over the door till Easter at least' Words heard in many a London home tomorrow I shouldn't wonder. Happy New Year everyone!
Robert Gertz • Link
Bizarre attempt to please her domineering mate? Or perhaps to force him to urge her to go about more?
Though the exhaustion explanation is probably best.
Australian Susan • Link
Elizabeth keeping withindoors
She would expect to get new dresses for Easter, maybe this is a hint about her appearance? And a need [sic] for new apparel NOW.
Second Reading
James Morgan • Link
Elizabeth's argument does seem odd. Was it just yesterday she was partying all night? Perhaps a hangover? Or a New Year's resolution? Or like Samuel, just pretending?
San Diego Sarah • Link
Perhaps she was just being contrary:
"Hey -- your eye is better. Want to go for a walk?"
"Oh no. I like being in the house. You go and chase your fancy women. I've got Mercer and Besse and Hewer and Tom -- they owe me a fortune at cards, by the way, so I hope you gave them generous Christmas boxes. Six more days until Twelfth Night, so I might win enough by then to buy some new shoes. No" -- sigh -- "I'm just fine, here in my rags. Pass the mulled wine, please. Yes, we had such fun last night playing Blind Man's Buff. Did you know three people can hide in the coal chute? We didn't keep you up did we? -- we were giggling rather loudly."