Diary of a Somebody - Samuel Pepys Quiz

Answer: He witnessed the execution of Charles I

Pepys was amongst the vast crowds in Whitehall on 30 January 1649 and bore witness to the execution of the King. At the time, Pepys was in agreement with the act of regicide, although he later became a loyal supporter of the Crown and courtier to Charles II.

Answer: France

Pepys and Elisabeth were officially married on 1 December 1655 at St Margaret's, Westminster, although they celebrated their wedding anniversary on 10 October, the date of the religious ceremony they had undertaken to mark their union. Shortly after their marriage, the couple separated and Elisabeth returned to her family at Charing Cross.

After they reunited at the end of 1657, their marriage was largely happy, despite Pepys' frequent infidelities, and his persistent jealousy. He notes his worries in his diary, and records intervening in cases such as her dancing lessons, as he feared the dancing master was taking advantage of the situation.

Answer: Thomas Hollier

Surgical procedures in the 17th century were hazardous and not to be undertaken lightly. However, due to the tremendous pain that Pepys was suffering, he decided to take the risks. Pepys' bladder stone was successfully removed and he made a full recovery.

He celebrated the success annually, hosting a 'stone party' on the anniversary for many years subsequently. He enjoyed telling the story of the operation and kept the bladder stone, which he frequently showed people, claiming it to be the size of a tennis ball.

Answer: Clerk of the Acts

During the 1650s, Pepys had been employed at the Exchequer, but his service to his kinsman Edward Montagu helped him secure a post at the Admiralty. Through his position in the Navy Board, Pepys had regular contact with both the Duke of York, who served as Lord High Admiral, and the King. He therefore became a courtier and frequently visited the Palace of Whitehall.

Answer: None

It is believed that Pepys was incapable of fathering children, possibly as a result of the operation he underwent to remove a bladder stone. Despite a close relationship with his wife, and numerous extra-marital affairs, Pepys never sired an heir, although there were a number of pregnancy scares from his mistresses and eternal hope from his wife.

Answer: Periwig

Pepys had been a keen adopter of the periwig, but fears that it may harbour the plague caused him to abandon this fashion accessory. Nevertheless, Pepys remained in London during the plague outbreak, although virtually every other individual who could afford to relocate did so. Pepys sent his wife to Woolwich but refused to join her as he felt it impossible to conduct his work outside London.

His diary entries throughout the period of the plague provide detail of the city during this time and record some of the precautions and superstitions associated with the disease at the time.

Answer: His gold

The Great Fire of London broke out in the early hours of 2 September 1666. Pepys initially thought little of it but once the blaze had been burning for some time during that day, he decided to inform the King of the situation. He met with the King and the Duke of York, telling them of the damage he had personally witnessed, and they subsequently took charge of firefighting efforts.

The Lord Mayor of London, Thomas Bludworth, had made a fatal error in his refusal to grant permission to demolish property and Pepys was charged with the duty of conveying the King's orders for demolition to Bludworth. Vivid descriptions of the fire appear in Pepys' diary, and the emotional effect it had on him is evident from the language he used.

Although he feared for the safety of his family, his fondness for delicacies is also demonstrated through his experience of the fire as his servant Will was given the task of burying the Parmesan cheese and the wine for future use.

Answer: Food and drink

Following the Royal Court's flight from London during the time of the Great Plague, the King and the Duke of York stayed at Hampton Court on their way back to the capital. During this period, Pepys spent a night at Hampton Court and was received with kindness by both men.

As Lord High Admiral, the Duke of York informed Pepys of how impressed he was with his work at the Navy Board, and that he would adopt the proposed system without delay. Around this time, as new suppliers were sought, a baker named Thomas Farriner in the City of London was employed to provide produce for the Navy.

It was at Farriner's bakehouse that the Great Fire of London began in September 1666.

Answer: Portuguese

Although Pepys wrote his diary in shorthand, so that it was indecipherable to others, he used foreign wording to further encipher certain passages, mainly those detailing his sexual adventures. Pepys was a particularly prolific womaniser, with in January 1665 alone details in his diary of encounters with no less than four women who were not his wife.

Answer: Trinity House

Pepys became an Elder Brother of Trinity House, the corporation responsible for lighthouses and beacons, in 1672, and served as such until 1689. Additionally, during his period as an Elder Brother on the Court (the body responsible for the governance of the corporation), he served two terms as Master of Trinity House, the person who presides over the court of Elder Brethren.