Speaking truth to power

Up and to my Lord Sandwich, who follows the Duke this day by water down to the Hope, where “The Prince” lies. He received me, busy as he was, with mighty kindness and joy at my promotions; telling me most largely how the Duke hath expressed on all occasions his good opinion of my service and love for me. I paid my thanks and acknowledgement to him; and so back home, where at the office all the morning. At noon to the ‘Change. Home, and Lewellin dined with me. Thence abroad, carried my wife to Westminster by coach, I to the Swan, Herbert’s, and there had much of the good company of Sarah and to my wish, and then to see Mrs. Martin, who was very kind, three weeks of her month of lying in is over.
So took up my wife and home, and at my office a while, and thence to supper and to bed.
Great talk of noises of guns heard at Deale, but nothing particularly whether in earnest or not.

who follows the lies
expressed on all occasions now
the art of lying is over

guns hear nothing
whether in earnest or not


Erasure poem derived from The Diary of Samuel Pepys, Thursday 23 March 1665.

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