Sam’s eyes continue to plague him and keep him from his diary for 14 days. In spite of a vizard mask with tubes (24) and potential eye water treatment (30), he struggles daily.

While with Hewer, his eyes are sharp enough to spot Deb at White Hall (13). He sends Hewer away, pursues Deb to find where she lives, returning home to Elizabeth and speaking “as innocent” of his day (13). He tracks down Deb, brings her to a blind alehouse, forces her to touch him, gives her 20s, and sets up another rendezvous (15). Sam cautiously fears Elizabeth (16), but feels bold enough to return in search of Deb at the date he set forth, only to find she is not there as he had hoped, so he turns to Doll for relief (19). Later that month, Sam sees Deb with a gentlewoman, but no contact is made (26).

Elizabeth hears painful rumors that Deb is slandering her (12). The household prepares for the upcoming wedding of Jane and Tom, which takes place on the anniversary of Sam’s “cutting of the stone” (26). Elizabeth seeks a replacement maid and debates if she should take the pretty girl or the one with marks all over her face from small pox (11, 12). Much to Sam’s delight and excitement, Elizabeth welcomes Matt, the pretty one (29).

Elizabeth’s suspicions of Sam now center on his relationship at home with Jane. Sam moves to have Jane and Tom leave by Easter (7, 8) in order to maintain a happier home. Elizabeth is wise to be suspicious, as Sam is almost tempted when he follows a pretty lady in mourning after the burial of Captain Middleton’s wife. With his watchful boy at the gate, Sam’s hopes are thwarted (17).

On a very cheery note, Sam finds that his cousin Roger Pepys has quietly remarried (8). Roger’s daughters Bab and Betty arrive in town and stay with a receptive Sam (18). Over the next days they are whisked off to plays (20, 22), Westminster Abbey, where they see the tomb of Katherine of Valois, the making of glass at a Glass-House (23), and dinner at Will Hewer’s impressive lodgings (24). By the end of their adventures Sam is happily referring to them as “my girls” (25).

Sam spends time preparing for a great dinner at his house with Lord Sandwich, Peterborough, Sir Charles Harbourd, Lord Hinchingbroke, Mr. Sidney and Sir William Godolphin as his guests. He is extremely pleased with the meal and the entertainment afterwards (18, 22, 23). The next day he is awoken to a warrant calling for the Principal Officers to attend the King. The King is interested in finding out when all of his ships might be repaired and fit for service, but the King doesn’t reveal why he needs to know (24).

Sam enjoys his new coach and buys a beautiful pair of black horses (1, 12). While driving about he spies Deb on the streets and hopes that Elizabeth did not see her (7). Elizabeth hears that Deb is doing well and receiving money from someone. She accuses Sam of providing the money to her, a claim that he can honestly (for once) deny. (18).

Sam ends the year resolved never to bring sorrow to Elizabeth again, worried about his backwards accounts which he has not balanced in two years and worried about his eyes (31).

Under Elizabeth’s distraught and watchful eyes, Sam tries to conceal his anguish over Deb (1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9,). slipping her a note telling her that he only admitted to kissing her and that she should do the same (9). An honest Deb confesses all (which is much more than just a kiss) to Elizabeth (10). Elizabeth explodes at her lying husband, and over the next days Deb is asked to leave (12, 13). Deb moves to an undisclosed place (16). Sam promises Elizabeth never to see her again. No sooner is Deb gone than Sam tracks her down, has an illicit sexual encounter with her in a coach and gives her 20s. He lies about his whereabouts to Elizabeth, who the next day discovers the truth (18, 19). Raging fights ensue (19, 20) and Elizabeth forces Sam to write Deb a note, calling her a “whore” and swearing he will never see her again. Elizabeth discloses the sordid mess to W. Hewer and asks him to deliver the note to Deb and to follow Sam everywhere he goes (20, 21, 23). A wise Hewer agrees, but never delivers the note to Deb, instead telling her that Sam would never see her again and offers her the “best Christian counsel” that he could (21). Hewer confirms Elizabeth’s claims that she has always been faithful to Sam even when she had been pursued by other men (10, 20). By month end, Sam refers to his constant shadow, Hewer, as his “jailor” and “guard” (23, 30).

The only thing that seems to be going well for Sam is that he finally buys his new coach (1, 28, 29).

Sam starts a shopping adventure with a new periwig (22), plans for a new bed (19, 22) and a new coach (20, 24, 30). he may well need a new place to sleep after Elizabeth finds him in a sexually indecent embrace with Deb (25). As Elizabeth’s hurt and rage unfold (26, 27) a guilty Sam tries to minimise the damage and slips a note to Deb to align what he told Elizabeth with what Deb may tell her (27). Sam ends the month sorry, ashamed and troubled for Deb’s sake, knowing well that this will not bode well for her (31).

Sam hears that Lord Sandwich is in Cornwall, and Sam feels badly that he has not done more to assist in the management of his affairs (27, 28).

Sore eyes aside, Sam prepares his “great letter” for the Duke of York, which details the poor administration of Naval Office. Sam drafts the letter and reviews it with the Duke of York. The Duke has it re-written, signs it and presents it as if it he wrote it himself. Sam cleverly removes himself from any public link to the letter, but fears that the offices suspect him of writing it (21, 22, 23, 25, 27, 29, 30). The Duke requests that the Naval Officers reply to the report with their recommendations for improvement. As this is going on, Sam hears rumors that the entire Naval Office will be turned out. Some of those conversations, with Captain Cocke and the Duke of York, exempt Sam from the group expected to lose their positions, but Sam still fears that they will all be let go (22, 23, 30).

In romantic news, Creed speeds his match with Mrs. Betty Pickering (13). Sam’s house is in disarray as Tom, who has made a marriage proposal to Jane and backed out, leaves a distraught Jane in agony (19).

Elizabeth sits for her portrait by the artist Coopers (8, 10, 13, 16, 18, 25). Betty Mitchell gives birth to a daughter, with Elizabeth the god mother (12). Sam buys an espinette, a small harpsichord (13, 15). Sam tries several different treatments for his steadily declining eyes, with limited success (3, 13, 15, 21, 23, 29). “The month ends mighty sadly with me, my eyes being now past all use almost; and I am mighty hot upon trying the later printed experiment of paper tubes” (31).

Upon their return home Elizabeth sobs non-stop as Sam discovers that she has heard of his gadabout ways during her time away (18). The crying continues and Elizabeth requests that she be allowed to leave and go live in France. As her heartache unfolds, Elizabeth feels that Sam has a lot more pleasures than he allows her to have (19), and she is still distressed from the words that she shared with Sam’s father.

The household is awakened by a fire in Mark Lane. Sam secures his gold, plate and papers, but all is safe (19). He presents Balty to Mr. Wren to ensure his position as a Muster-Master (22).

With Elizabeth away, Sam enjoys dalliances with Mrs. Knepp (6, 7, 16) and shares music and plays with Mercer and her friends (10, 11, 12, 14, 17, 18, 26, 28, 29).Mrs. Martin’s daughter, Sam’s godchild, dies (5) and Mrs. Martin gives Sam her coveted starling, which was formerly the King’s bird (21, 22). Sam is perturbed to hear that his cousin Kate Joyce has remarried, although Sam was lax to inquire about the suitability and finances of her potential partner (11).

Sam heads off to Brampton for a short visit and spends time with his family and Lady Sandwich (23, 24, 25), only to return to his usual Tangier accounts and Council Chamber duties (28, 29).