play upon some instrument, for though her eare be bad yet I see she will attain any thing to be done by her hand.[1]
Henceforth Pepys has a happy household. He records how one August evening he made his wife play the flageolet,
till I slept with great pleasure in bed.[2]
Do not imagine, however, that he has forgotten his dear Mercer! He continues to arrange singing parties to include her—above all when his wife is not present:
And by and by, it being now about nine o'clock at night, I heard Mercer's voice, and my boy Tom's singing in the garden, which pleased me mightily, I longing to see the girl, having not seen her since my wife went; and so into the garden to her and sang, and then home to supper, and mightily pleased with her company, in talking and singing, and so parted, and to bed.[3]
Took a coach and called Mercer, and she and I to the Duke of York's play-house, and there saw "The Tempest." … After the play done, I took Mercer by water to Spring Garden, and there with great pleasure walked, and eat, and drank, and sang, making people come about us, to hear us.[4]
Up by water and to Foxhall (Vauxhall), where we walked a great while, … and it beginning to be dark, we to a corner and sang, that everybody got about to hear us."[5]
Got Mercer, and she and I in the garden singing till ten at night.[6]
W. Howe, and a younger brother of his, come to dine with me, and there comes Mercer, … and mighty merry, and after dinner to sing psalms.[7]
