Mr. Pepys His Valentine
AS RELATED BY HIMSELF IN 1666 (Adapted)
This
morning, came up to my wife's bedside, I being up
dressing myself, little Will Mercer, to be her valentine;
and brought her name writ upon blue paper in gold letters,
done by himself, very pretty; and we were both well pleased
with it.
But I am also this year my wife's valentine; and it will
cost me five pounds; but that I must have laid out if we had
not been valentines.
I find also that Mrs. Pierce's little girl is my valentine,
she having drawn me; which I am not
sorry for, it easing me of something more that I must have
given to others.
But here I do first observe the fashion of drawing of
mottoes as well as names; so that Pierce, who drew my wife,
did draw also a motto, and this girl drew another for me.
What mine was I have forgot, but my wife's was: "Most
virtuous and most fair," which, as it may be used, or an
anagram made upon each name, might be very pretty.
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