The cost of free thought

At home all the morning setting papers in order. At noon to the Exchange, and there met with Dr. Williams by appointment, and with him went up and down to look for an attorney, a friend of his, to advise with about our bond of my aunt Pepys of 200l., and he tells me absolutely that we shall not be forced to pay interest for the money yet. I do doubt it very much. I spent the whole afternoon drinking with him and so home. This day I counterfeited a letter to Sir W. Pen, as from the thief that stole his tankard lately, only to abuse and laugh at him.

In exchange for an absolute,
we pay interest on doubt.
I ink a letter to the thief
that stole a laugh.


Erasure poem derived from The Diary of Samuel Pepys, Wednesday 28 August 1661.

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