Via Negativa

(Lord’s day). Lay long abed.
To Mr. Mossum’s; a good sermon. This day the organs did begin to play at White Hall before the King.
Dined at my father’s. After dinner to Mr. Mossum’s again, and so in the garden, and heard Chippell’s father preach, that was Page to the Protector.
And just by the window that I stood at sat Mrs. Butler, the great beauty.
After sermon to my Lord. Mr. Edward and I into Gray’s Inn walks, and saw many beauties.
So to my father’s, where Mr. Cook, W. Bowyer, and my Cozen Joyce Morton supped and to bed.

Organs play for the moss in the garden,
the great beauty walks to cook:
my Zen.

Erasure poem derived from The Diary of Samuel Pepys, Sunday 17 June 1660.

Rose betimes and abroad in one shirt, which brought me a great cold and pain. Murford took me to Harvey’s by my father’s to drink and told me of a business that I hope to get 5l. by.
To my Lord, and so to White Hall with him about the Clerk of the Privy Seal’s place, which he is to have.
Then to the Admiralty, where I wrote some letters. Here Coll. Thompson told me, as a great secret; that the Nazeby was on fire when the King was there, but that is not known; when God knows it is quite false. Got a piece of gold from Major Holmes for the horse of Dixwell’s I brought to town.
Dined at Mr. Crew’s, and after dinner with my Lord to Whitehall. Court attendance infinite tedious. Back with my Lord to my Lady Wright’s and staid till it had done raining, which it had not done a great while.
After that at night home to my father’s and to bed.

Abroad on a cold business, I have a secret fire: a piece of gold.
Infinite, tedious rain.

Erasure poem derived from The Diary of Samuel Pepys, Saturday 16 June 1660.

All the morning at the Commissioners of the Navy about getting out my bill for 50l. for the last quarter, which I got done with a great deal of ease, which is not common.
After that with Mr. Turner to the Dolphin and drunk, and so by water to W. Symons, where D. Scobell with his wife, a pretty and rich woman. Mrs. Symons, a very fine woman, very merry after dinner with marrying of Luellin and D. Scobell’s kinswoman that was there. Then to my Lord who told me how the King has given him the place of the great Wardrobe.
My Lord resolves to have Sarah again. I to my father’s, and then to see my uncle and aunt Fenner. So home and to bed.

I commission the navy:
get a dolphin drunk
and marry her
in place of war.
Resolve again to see
home and bed.

Erasure poem derived from The Diary of Samuel Pepys, Friday 15 June 1660.

Up to my Lord and from him to the Treasurer of the Navy for 500l.. After that to a tavern with Washington the Purser, very gallant, and ate and drank. To Mr. Crew’s and laid my money.
To my Lady Pickering with the plate that she did give my Lord the other day.
Then to Will’s and met William Symons and Doling and Luellin, and with them to the Bull- head, and then to a new alehouse in Brewer’s Yard, where Winter that had the fray with Stoakes, and from them to my father’s.

As a tavern with my money
or will and a bull,
winter had the oak.

Erasure poem derived from The Diary of Samuel Pepys, Thursday 14 June 1660.