Diary, Apr/May 1661 | Page 7

tomb, on which was "Come sweet Jesu,"
and I read "Come sweet Mall," &c., at which Captain Pett and I had
good laughter. So to the Salutacion tavern, where Mr. Alcock and many
of the town came and entertained us with wine and oysters and other
things, and hither come Sir John Minnes to us, who is come to-day to
see "the Henery," in which he intends to ride as Vice-Admiral in the
narrow seas all this summer. Here much mirth, but I was a little
troubled to stay too long, because of going to Hempson's, which
afterwards we did, and found it in all things a most pretty house, and
rarely furnished, only it had a most ill access on all sides to it, which is
a greatest fault that I think can be in a house. Here we had, for my sake,
two fiddles, the one a base viall, on which he that played, played well
some lyra lessons, but both together made the worst musique that ever I
heard. We had a fine collacion, but I took little pleasure in that, for the
illness of the musique and for the intentness of my mind upon Mrs.
Rebecca Allen. After we had done eating, the ladies went to dance, and
among the men we had, I was forced to dance too; and did make an
ugly shift. Mrs. R. Allen danced very well, and seems the best
humoured woman that ever I saw. About 9 o'clock Sir William and my
Lady went home, and we continued dancing an hour or two, and so
broke up very pleasant and merry, and so walked home, I leading Mrs.

Rebecca, who seemed, I know not why, in that and other things, to be
desirous of my favours and would in all things show me respects.
Going home, she would needs have me sing, and I did pretty well and
was highly esteemed by them. So to Captain Allen's (where we were
last night, and heard him play on the harpsicon, and I find him to be a
perfect good musician), and there, having no mind to leave Mrs.
Rebecca, what with talk and singing (her father and I), Mrs. Turner and
I staid there till 2 o'clock in the morning and was most exceeding merry,
and I had the opportunity of kissing Mrs. Rebecca very often. Among
other things Captain Pett was saying that he thought that he had got his
wife with child since I came thither. Which I took hold of and was
merrily asking him what he would take to have it said for my honour
that it was of my getting? He merrily answered that he would if I would
promise to be godfather to it if it did come within the time just, and I
said that I would. So that I must remember to compute it when the time
comes.

11th. At 2 o'clock, with very great mirth, we went to our lodging and to
bed, and lay till 7, and then called up by Sir W. Batten, so I arose and
we did some business, and then came Captn. Allen, and he and I
withdrew and sang a song or two, and among others took pleasure in
"Goe and bee hanged, that's good-bye." The young ladies come too,
and so I did again please myself with Mrs. Rebecca, and about 9
o'clock, after we had breakfasted, we sett forth for London, and indeed
I was a little troubled to part with Mrs. Rebecca, for which God forgive
me. Thus we went away through Rochester, calling and taking leave of
Mr. Alcock at the door, Capt. Cuttance going with us. We baited at
Dartford, and thence to London, but of all the journeys that ever I made
this was the merriest, and I was in a strange mood for mirth.
Among other things, I got my Lady to let her maid, Mrs. Anne, to ride
all the way on horseback, and she rides exceeding well; and so I called
her my clerk, that she went to wait upon me. I met two little schoolboys
going with pitchers of ale to their schoolmaster to break up against
Easter, and I did drink of some of one of them and give him two pence.
By and by we come to two little girls keeping cows, and I saw one of
them very pretty, so I had a mind to make her ask my blessing, and
telling her that I was her godfather, she asked me innocently whether I

was not Ned Wooding, and I said that I was, so she kneeled down and
very simply called, "Pray, godfather, pray to God to bless me," which
made us very merry, and I gave her twopence. In several places, I