Diary of Samuel Pepys — Volume 31: October/November 1664 — Background and Themes

War Preparations and Office Burdens

Pepys describes a Navy Office operating at full stretch: 'We go now on with great vigour in preparing against the Dutch.' He records Mr. Coventry's candid assessment of colleagues—Sir J. Minnes is 'like a lapwing; that all he did was to keepe a flutter, to keepe others from the nest'—and learns that the weight of dispatch will fall on him. The entries are punctuated by meetings at St. James's, the Exchange, and among smiths, where Pepys nearly buys anchors. The King's appointments of Captain Taylor and Colonel Middleton as commissioners for Harwich and Portsmouth are noted, as is Sir W. Pen's sudden departure to sea aboard the Charles. Pepys's mind is 'full of business,' and he works late at the office, his eyes sore from writing.

Social Observances and Personal Encounters

Amid official duties, Pepys records church visits, a play (Macbeth at the Duke's House), and bonfires in the City. He walks through Moorfields and Clerkenwell, noting the 'fair Butler' as 'a most perfect beauty still.' At Lady Sandwich's, he discusses a potential match for Creed, though he believes Creed 'would love nothing but money.' A troubling rumor reaches him: Lord Sandwich may be sent Governor to Tangier, which Pepys fears could harm his honour and interest. His wife's anger at his 'gadding abroad' hints at domestic friction. These passages reveal Pepys's eye for beauty, social maneuvering, and anxiety over the shifting fortunes of patrons.

Tensions Between Duty and Desire

Pepys's diary captures a persistent conflict between his official responsibilities and private inclinations. On October 1st, Mrs. Lane (now Martin) sends a sealed note to meet him; he declines but promises to see her at Westminster. Later, he reflects on a past temptation, vowing 'never tempt her to any evil more.' The narrative weaves between the Admiralty's urgent preparations and Pepys's own distractions—whether admiring a woman in church or pursuing business deals. His wife's reproach for not coming home underscores the strain. These entries show a man trying to balance the demands of his office, his marriage, and his own impulses, all recorded with characteristic candor.

Readers should note that these excerpts cover only two months of a multi-year diary. Pepys's shorthand and the editorial apparatus (by Braybrooke, Bright, and Wheatley) shape the text. The entries are dense with names, places, and administrative details; a willingness to follow these threads rewards with a vivid sense of Restoration London and the inner life of a public servant.

Reading this volume, I kept thinking about how Pepys always carries his earlier self with him—the naval bustle of late 1664 echoes the quieter anxieties of that Diary of Samuel Pepys — Volume 18: September/October 1662 — Context and Discussion, where he first learned that duty and desire rarely keep separate appointments. It’s strange, watching a man grow older yet stay so familiar.