I am endeavouring to find a woman for her to my mind, and above all one that understands musique, especially singing.[1]
He finds the rare bird eventually. Her name is Mercer. At the same time he engages a little page, a musician, sent him by his friend Captain Cooke, master of the Chapel Royal, who had given him four years' training. Pepys' delight is complete.
So back again home, and there my wife and Mercer and Tom and I sat till eleven at night, singing and fiddling, and a great joy it is to see me master of so much pleasure in my house, that it is and will be still, I hope, a constant pleasure to me to be at home. The girl plays pretty well upon the harpsicon, but only ordinary tunes, but hath a good hand; sings a little, but hath a good voyce and eare. My boy, a brave boy, sings finely, and is the most pleasant boy at present, while his ignorant boy's tricks last, that ever I saw.[2]
He soon wearies of the page. But Mercer grows more delightful every day.
At home I found Mercer playing upon her Vyall, which is a pretty instrument, and so I to the Vyall and singing till late, and so to bed.[3]
About 11 I home, it being a fine moonshine, and so my wife and Mercer come into the garden, and my business being done, we sang till about twelve at night, with mighty pleasure to ourselves and neighbours, by their casements opening, and so home to supper and to bed.[4]
And after supper falling to singing with Mercer did however sit up with her, she pleasing me with her singing of "Helpe, helpe,"[5] till past midnight.[6]
Poor Mistress Pepys is jealous:
