Epiphany I

How will you spend Epiphany? This is what some people did.

Tuesday 6th January 1662/63

(Twelfth Day). Up and Mr. Creed brought a pot of chocolate ready made for our morning draft, and then he and I to the Duke’s, but I was not very willing to be seen at this end of the town, and so returned to our lodgings, and took my wife by coach to my brother’s, where I set her down, and Creed and I to St. Paul’s Church-yard, to my bookseller’s, and looked over several books with good discourse, and then into St. Paul’s Church, and there finding Elborough, my old schoolfellow at Paul’s, now a parson, whom I know to be a silly fellow, I took him out and walked with him, making Creed and myself sport with talking with him, and so sent him away, and we to my office and house to see all well, and thence to the Exchange, where we met with Major Thomson, formerly of our office, who do talk very highly of liberty of conscience, which now he hopes for by the King’s declaration, and that he doubts not that if he will give him, he will find more and better friends than the Bishopps can be to him, and that if he do not, there will many thousands in a little time go out of England, where they may have it. But he says that they are well contented that if the King thinks it good, the Papists may have the same liberty with them. He tells me, and so do others, that Dr. Calamy is this day sent to Newgate for preaching, Sunday was se’nnight, without leave, though he did it only to supply the place; when otherwise the people must have gone away without ever a sermon, they being disappointed of a minister but the Bishop of London will not take that as an excuse. Thence into Wood Street, and there bought a fine table for my dining-room, cost me 50s.; and while we were buying it, there was a scare-fire in an ally over against us, but they quenched it. So to my brother’s, where Creed and I and my wife dined with Tom, and after dinner to the Duke’s house, and there saw “Twelfth Night” acted well, though it be but a silly play, and not related at all to the name or day. Thence Mr. Battersby the apothecary, his wife, and I and mine by coach together, and setting him down at his house, he paying his share, my wife and I home, and found all well, only myself somewhat vexed at my wife’s neglect in leaving of her scarf, waistcoat, and night-dressings in the coach today that brought us from Westminster, though, I confess, she did give them to me to look after, yet it was her fault not to see that I did take them out of the coach. I believe it might be as good as 25s. loss or thereabouts.

So to my office, however, to set down my last three days’ journall, and writing to my Lord Sandwich to give him an account of Sir J. Lawson’s being come home, and to my father about my sending him some wine and things this week, for his making an entertainment of some friends in the country, and so home. This night making an end wholly of Christmas, with a mind fully satisfied with the great pleasures we have had by being abroad from home, and I do find my mind so apt to run to its old want of pleasures, that it is high time to betake myself to my late vows, which I will to-morrow, God willing, perfect and bind myself to, that so I may, for a great while, do my duty, as I have well begun, and increase my good name and esteem in the world, and get money, which sweetens all things, and whereof I have much need. So home to supper and to bed, blessing God for his mercy to bring me home, after much pleasure, to my house and business with health and resolution to fall hard to work again.

(Samuel Pepys)

January 6, 1924 (Ashby St Ledgers)

After a good night’s sleep I got up to a beautiful bright winter’s morning – wandered about the house and grounds, read the paper etc. until luncheon. Poppy only appeared after we had begun luncheon, as I had still no word with her my only chance of doing so seemed to be to undertake to play golf. We had a long drive and a short game of golf as it was so miserably cold. However it gave me the opportunity I desired. Poppy is a strangely discreet and reserved little creature. In public she never allows even a look or a smile to escape her and even in private she says little. I don’t think I have ever had a word of affection from her. After dinner Poppy was most anxious not to be made to play poker which she hates so I generously sacrificed  myself and played instead of her. I went to her room that night at two o’clock – a very long, dangerous and difficult journey in the dark over loud creaking boards and round a dozen corners. In bed she was divine but I am terribly afraid we were very rash. She thinks she is a virgin. I don’t know why she thinks so. We lay for a long time afterwards whispering and laughing. She has scruples which I have to laugh away but I feel rather ashamed of doing so. She said that in church on Christmas Day she had been appalled by the thought that she had committed adultery. In the midst of all this she never says a word of love so that I was quite surprised when as I was going she begged me to stay a little longer.

(Duff Cooper)