Infidelity
Pepys's notorious reputation for infidelity is nearly legendary. Soon after starting The Diary of Samuel Pepys, he exhibits an increasing compulsion for extramarital affairs. On May 20, 1660, while in the Netherlands to help escort Charles II back to England, Pepys takes a break from his duties, drinks excessively, and falls asleep in his room. He notes, "where in another bed there was a pretty Dutch woman in bed alone, but though I had a month's mind I had not the boldness to go to her."

Initially, Pepys cannot bring himself to cheat on his wife during this first trip away from home, but his restraint doesn't last long. On August 12, 1660, he drinks wine with Mrs. Lane and admits, "I [Pepys] was exceedingly free in dallying with her, and she not unfree to take it." To make matters worse, this first recorded indiscretion happens on the "Lord’s Day," or the Sabbath. In Protestant faith, Sundays were reserved for reflection, so by engaging in such acts on the Sabbath, Pepys was being unfaithful to both his religion and his wife.

While Pepys's exploits fill many pages of his diary, the affairs that had a more significant impact on all of England were the scandals at the court of Charles II. The Palace of Whitehall, where the king and his court resided, gradually became infamous for its lascivious behavior. These infidelities further destabilized the crown. Pepys learns that the Queen is upset over the king's "neglecting her, he having not supped once with her this quarter of a year, and almost every night with my Lady Castlemaine." Just as Pepys's infidelity threatens his marriage, the king's infidelity threatens the stability of England. Because the king fails to maintain stability in his own marriage, many citizens doubt he can bring the stability they desire to the nation.

Women’s Roles
Throughout his narrative, Pepys displays derogatory attitudes toward women that were prevalent at the time. Although he loves his wife, he does not allow her to speak back to him. On November 13, 1662, when she sends him a letter expressing her unhappiness, he finds himself "in a quandary what to do, whether to read it or not, but I purpose not, but to burn it before her face, that I may put a stop to more of this nature." To Pepys, a wife should be a dutiful woman who manages the household and fulfills his needs. However, his wife, Elizabeth, fails to meet his exacting standards for housekeeping and affection, leading Pepys to hire maids and pursue affairs.

In certain instances, he achieves both objectives, as illustrated by the case of the maid, Deb Willet, the most heartbreaking story in the narrative. Similar to other parts of the work, Pepys describes how he has used his influence and power to persuade other girls to fulfill his desires. Willet, a young girl, tries to resist her master's romantic advances. However, working for Pepys, she eventually succumbs to some intimate encounters with him to keep her job. This continues until October 25, 1668, when Elizabeth catches Pepys "embracing the girl." This incident is the final straw for Elizabeth, and she forces Pepys to dismiss Willet.

Pepys checks on Willet a short time later and discovers she is destitute, forced to live in "Whetstone’s Park, where I never was before." The park is notorious for prostitution, and Pepys feels remorseful, writing that it "does trouble me mightily that the poor girl should be in a desperate condition forced to go thereabouts."

Despite his concern for Willet’s potential future as a prostitute, Pepys's desire for her remains unabated. When he finds her again, he uses her once more and then warns her "to have a care of her honour" and to avoid letting any other man touch her. Naturally, in England at this time, the likelihood of the girl following Pepys's advice is minimal. The disgrace of being expelled from the Pepys household is hers to bear alone, and he accepts no responsibility. This blemish on her record would follow her to any other employment opportunity, leaving prostitution as one of the few options available to a single woman with no prospects for work or marriage.