Pepys - The joys of excess

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The Shorter Pepys first published 1985

This selection published in Penguin Books 2011

Copyright The Masters, Fellows and Scholars of Magdalene College, Cambridge, Robert Latham and the Estate of William Matthews, 1985

All rights reserved

Cover design based on a pattern from a plate from Brislington Pottery, c. 166285.

Tin-glazed earthenware with painted decoration. (Photograph copyright Victoria & Albert Museum.) Picture research by Samantha Johnson. Lettering by Stephen Raw

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ISBN: 978-0-14-196603-8

PENGUIN BOOKS GREAT FOOD

The Joys of Excess

SAMUEL PEPYS ( 16331703 ) was a naval administrator and Member of Parliament, and is best remembered as a diarist. Kept between 1660 and 1669 and written in Sheltons shorthand, Pepys diary recorded major historical events, like the Plague and the Great Fire of London, alongside his more personal concerns and activities, including politics, his work in public life and rows with his wife, Elizabeth. Throughout are his fascinating thoughts on food, including his first encounters with drinking chocolate.

January 26 . Home from my office to my Lords lodgings, where my wife had got ready a very fine dinner: viz. a dish of marrow-bones. A leg of mutton. A loin of veal. A dish of fowl, three pullets, and two dozen of larks, all in a dish. A great tart. A neats tongue. A dish of anchoves. A dish of prawns, and cheese. My company was my father, my uncle Fenner, his two sons, Mr. Pierce, and all their wifes, and my brother Tom. We were as merry as I could frame myself to be in that company. W. Joyce, talking after the old rate and drinking hard, vexed his father and mother and wife. And I did perceive that Mrs. Pierce her coming so gallant, that it put the two young women quite out of courage. When it became dark, they all went away but Mr. Pierce and W. Joyce and their wifes and Tom, and drank a bottle of wine afterwards, so that Will did heartily anger his father and mother by staying. At which I and my wife were very much pleased. Then they all went and I fell to writing of two Characters for Mr. Downing, and carried them to him at 9 a-clock at night; and he did not like them but corrected them, so that tomorrow I am to do them anew. To my Lords lodging again and sat by the great log, it being now a very good fire, with my wife; and eat a bit and so home.

28. To Heaven; where Luellin and I dined on a breast of mutton all alone, discoursing of the changes that we have seen and the happiness of them that have estates of their own.

May 30. About 8 a-clock in the morning, the Lieutenant came to me to know whether I would eat a dish of Mackrell, newly-ketched this morning, for my breakfast which the Captain and we did in the coach. All yesterday and today I have a great deal of pain in making water and in my back, which made me afeared. But it proved nothing but cold which I took yesterday night.

August 9. With Judge-Advocate Fowler, Mr. Creed and Mr. Sheply to the Rhenish winehouse, and Capt. Hayward of the Plymouth, who is now ordered to carry my Lord Winchelsea Embassador to Constantinople. We were very merry, and Judge-Advocate did give Capt. Hayward his oath of Allegiance and Supremacy. Thence to my office of Privy Seale; and having signed some things there, with Mr. Moore and Deane Fuller to the Leg in King street; and sending for my wife, we dined there very merry, and after dinner parted. After dinner, with my wife to Mrs. Blackburne to visit her. She being within, I left my wife there; and I to the Privy Seal, where I despatch some business; and from thence to Mrs. Blackburne again, who did treat my wife and I with a great deal of civility and did give us a fine collation of collar of beef, &c. Thence, I having my head full of drink through having drunk so much Rhenish wine in the morning and more in the afternoon at Mrs. Blackburne. Came home and so to bed, not well; and very ill all night.

10. I had a great deal of pain all night and a great looseness upon me, so that I could not sleep. In the morning I rose with much pain and to the office I went and dined at home; and after dinner, with great pain in my back, I went by water to Whitehall to the Privy Seale; and that done, with Mr. Moore and Creed to Hideparke by coach and saw a fine foot-race, three times round the park.

11. I rose today without any pain, which makes me think that my pain yesterday was nothing but from my drinking too much the day before.

12. Lordsday. To my Lord; and with him to Whitehall chapel, where Mr. Calamy preached and made a good sermon up[on] these words: To whom much is given, of him much is required. He was very officious with his three reverences to the King, as others do. After sermon a brave Anthem of Capt. Cookes, which he himself sung, and the King was well pleased with it. My Lord dined at my Lord Chamberlins and I at his house with Mr. Sheply. After that I went to walk; and meeting Mrs. Lane of Westminster hall, I took her to my Lords and did give her a bottle of wine in the garden, where Mr. Fairebrother of Cambrige did come and find us and drank with us. After that I took her to my house, where I was exceeding free in dallying with her, and she not unfree to take it. At night home and called at my fathers, where I found Mr. Fairebrother; but I did not stay but went homewards and called in at Mr. Rawlinsons, whither my uncle Wight was coming; and did come, but was exceeding angry (he being a little fuddled, and I think it was that I should see him in that case) as I never saw him in all my life which I was somewhat troubled at. Home and to bed.

23. To the Admiralty chamber, where we and Mr. Coventry have a meeting about several businesses. Among others, it was moved that Phin. Pett (kinsman to the Commissioner) of Chatham should be suspended his imployment till he had answered to some articles put in against him; as, that he should formerly say that the King was a bastard and his mother a whore. Thence to Westminster hall, where I met with my father Bowyer and Mr. Spicer, and them I took to the Leg in Kings street and did give them a dish or two of meat; and so away to the Privy Seale, where the King being out of Towne, we have had nothing to do these two days. To Westminster hall, where I met with W. Symons, T. Doling and Mr. Booth, and with them to the Dogg, where we eat a Muske millon (the first that I have eat this year) and were very merry with W. Symons, calling him Mr. Deane, because of the Deanes lands that his uncle had left him, which are like to be lost all. Thence home by water; and very late at night writing letters to my Lord to Hinchingbrooke and also to the Vice-Admirall in the Downes; and so to bed.