(Wednesday).
Rose, and paying the reckoning,
12s. 6d.
servants and poor,
2s. 6d.
musick, the worst we have had, coming to our chamber-door, but calling us by wrong names, we lay.
So set out with one coach in company, and through Maydenhead, which I never saw before, to Colebrooke by noon; the way mighty good; and there dined, and fitted ourselves a little to go through London, anon. Somewhat out of humour all day, reflecting on my wife’s neglect of things, and impertinent humour got by this liberty of being from me, which she is never to be trusted with; for she is a fool.
Thence pleasant way to London, before night, and find all very well, to great content; and there to talk with my wife, and saw Sir W. Pen, who is well again. I hear of the ill news by the great fire at Barbados.
By and by home, and there with my people to supper, all in pretty good humour, though I find my wife hath something in her gizzard, that only waits an opportunity of being provoked to bring up; but I will not, for my content-sake, give it. So I to bed, glad to find all so well here, and slept well.
ay rose
a poor music
calling us
by wrong names
we saw ourselves
reflecting in rust
we who hear ill news
and find some gizzard
Erasure poem derived from The Diary of Samuel Pepys, Wednesday 17 June 1668 (Pepys’ notes for an unfinished entry)