PEPYS’ DIARY

Samuel Pepys (1633-1703) was the naval administrator and first secretary of the British Admiralty. Here’s what he wrote on this day in 1665.

Up, and by coach to St. James’s, and there did our business before the Duke as usual. After we had done with the Duke of Yorke, I with others to White Hall, there to attend again a Committee of Tangier, but there was none. Here I staid a very great while, almost till noon, and then meeting Balty I took him with me, and to Westminster to the Exchequer. Thence and so home to dinner, where I find my wife and father had dined, and were going out to Hales’s to sit there, so Balty and I alone to dinner. After dinner to the Excise Office by appointment. Thence home, and put off Balty, and so, being invited, to Sir Christopher Mings’s funeral, but find them gone to church. So I parted thence, with a very good will, but very civil, and away to the waterside, and sent for a pint of sacke and so home, drank what I would and gave the waterman the rest; and so adieu. Home about twelve at night, and so to bed, finding most of my people gone to bed. In my way home I called on a fisherman and bought three eeles, which cost me three shillings.