Record Number: 11973
Reading Experience:
Evidence:
'At the Coffee-house in Exchange=alley I bought a little book, "Counsell to Builders", written by Sir Balth. Gerbier; it is dedicated almost to all the men of any great condition in England, so that the epistles are more than the book itself; and both it and them not worth a turd, that I am ashamed that I bought it.'
Century:1600-1699
Date:28 May 1663
Country:England
Timen/a
Place:city: London
Type of Experience(Reader):
silent aloud unknown
solitary in company unknown
single serial unknown
(Listener):
solitary in company unknown
single serial unknown
Reader / Listener / Reading Group:
Reader: Age:Adult (18-100+)
Gender:Male
Date of Birth:23 Feb 1633
Socio-Economic Group:Professional / academic / merchant / farmer
Occupation:Admiralty, Clerk of the Acts
Religion:Church of England
Country of Origin:England
Country of Experience:England
Listeners present if any:e.g family, servants, friends
n/a
Additional Comments:
n/a
Text Being Read:
Author: Title:Counsel and advise to all builders; for the choice of their surveyours... Together with several epistles to eminent persons, who may be concerned in building
Genre:Heraldry, Technology
Form of Text:Print: Book
Publication Details1663
Provenanceowned
Source Information:
Record ID:11973
Source:Samuel Pepys
Editor:Robert Latham
Title:The diary of Samuel Pepys
Place of Publication:London
Date of Publication:1970
Vol:4
Page:162
Additional Comments:
Co-editor William Matthews
Citation:
Samuel Pepys, Robert Latham (ed.), The diary of Samuel Pepys, (London, 1970), 4, p. 162, http://www.open.ac.uk/Arts/reading/UK/record_details.php?id=11973, accessed: 15 February 2026
Additional Comments:
Comments in diary indicate that Pepys must have read at least part of the book after purchase, to express such disappointment in it and regret at the purchase
