Time Traveller

This morning (as indeed all the mornings nowadays) much business at my Lord’s.
There came to my house before I went out Mr. Barlow, an old consumptive man, and fair conditioned, with whom I did discourse a great while, and after much talk I did grant him what he asked, viz., 50l. per annum, if my salary be not increased, and (100l. per annum, in case it be to 350l.), at which he was very well pleased to be paid as I received my money and not otherwise.
Going to my Lord’s I found my Lord had got a great cold and kept his bed, and so I brought him to my Lord’s bedside, and he and I did agree together to this purpose what I should allow him.
That done and the day proving fair I went home and got all my goods packed up and sent away, and my wife and I and Mrs. Hunt went by coach, overtaking the carts a-drinking in the Strand. Being come to my house and set in the goods, and at night sent my wife and Mrs. Hunt to buy something for supper; they bought a Quarter of Lamb, and so we ate it, but it was not half roasted.
Will, Mr. Blackburne’s nephew, is so obedient, that I am greatly glad of him. At night he and I and Mrs. Hunt home by water to Westminster.
I to my Lord, and after having done some business with him in his chamber in the Nursery, which has been now his chamber since he came from sea, I went on foot with a linkboy to my home, where I found my wife in bed and Jane washing the house, and Will the boy sleeping, and a great deal of sport I had before I could wake him. I to bed the first night that I ever lay here with my wife.

Now an old
consumptive man,
cold, kept to my bed
and overtaking
the sea in sleep,
I wake to
the first night
I lay with my wife.


Erasure poem derived from The Diary of Samuel Pepys, Tuesday 17 July 1660.

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