Vagabond

Lords day. Lay long in bed; then up and took physique, Mr Hollyard[‘s]. But it being cold weather and myself negligent of myself, I fear I took cold and stopped the working of it. But I feel myself pretty well.
All the morning looking over my old wardrobe and laying by things for my brother John and my father, by which I shall leave myself very bare in clothes, but yet as much as I need and the rest would but spoil in the keeping.
Dined, my wife and I, very well. All the afternoon my wife and I above, and then the boy and I to singing of psalms, and then came in Mr. Hill and he sung with us a while; and he being gone, the boy and I again to the singing of Mr. Porter’s mottets, and it is a great joy to me that I am come to this condition to maintain a person in the house able to give me such pleasure as this boy doth by his thorough understand of music, as he sing any thing at first sight. Mr. Hill came to tell me that he had got a gentlewoman for my wife, one Mrs. Ferrabosco, that sings most admirably. I seemed glad of it; but I hear she is too gallant for me, and I am not sorry that I misse her. Thence to the office, setting some papers right, and so home to supper and to bed, after prayers.

myself negligent of myself
I stop working

I shall leave myself bare
but singing
at the first sight of supper


Erasure poem derived from The Diary of Samuel Pepys, Sunday 4 September 1664.

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