Diary, Feb 1659/60 | Page 6

laid a pot of ale with me that she would
outrun her. After that I set them as far as Charing Cross, and there left
them and my wife, and I went to see Mrs. Ann, who began very high
about a flock bed I sent her, but I took her down. Here I played at cards
till 9 o'clock. So home and to bed.

4th. In the morning at my lute an hour, and so to my office, where I
staid expecting to have Mr. Squib come to me, but he did not. At noon
walking in the Hall I found Mr. Swan and got him and Captain Stone
together, and there advised about Mr. Downing's business. So to Will's,
and sat there till three o'clock and then to Mr. Swan's, where I found his
wife in very genteel mourning for her father, and took him out by water
to the Counsellor at the Temple, Mr. Stephens, and from thence to
Gray's Inn, thinking to speak with Sotherton Ellis, but found him not,
so we met with an acquaintance of his in the walks, and went and drank,
where I ate some bread and butter, having ate nothing all day, while
they were by chance discoursing of Marriot, the great eater, so that I
was, I remember, ashamed to eat what I would have done. Here Swan
shewed us a ballad to the tune of Mardike which was most

incomparably wrote in a printed hand, which I borrowed of him, but the
song proved but silly, and so I did not write it out. Thence we went and
leaving Swan at his master's, my Lord Widdrington, I met with Spicer,
Washington, and D. Vines in Lincoln's Inn Court, and they were buying
of a hanging jack to roast birds on of a fellow that was there selling of
some. I was fain to slip from there and went to Mrs. Crew's to her and
advised about a maid to come and be with Mrs. Jem while her maid is
sick, but she could spare none. Thence to Sir Harry Wright's, but my
lady not being within I spoke to Mrs. Carter about it, who will get one
against Monday. So with a link boy
[Links were torches of tow or pitch to light the way. D.W.]
to Scott's, where Mrs. Ann was in a heat, but I spoke not to her, but told
Mrs. Jem what I had done, and after that went home and wrote letters
into the country by the post, and then played awhile on my lute, and so
done, to supper and then to bed. All the news to-day is, that the
Parliament this morning voted the House to be made up four hundred
forthwith. This day my wife killed her turkeys that Mr. Sheply gave her,
that came out of Zealand with my Lord, and could not get her m'd Jane
by no means at any time to kill anything.

5th,(Lord's day). In the morning before church time Mr. Hawly, who
had for this day or two looked something sadly, which methinks did
speak something in his breast concerning me, came to me telling me
that he was out L24 which he could not tell what was become of, and
that he do remember that he had such a sum in a bag the other day, and
could not tell what he did with it, at which I was very sorry but could
not help him. In the morning to Mr. Gunning, where a stranger, an old
man, preached a good honest sermon upon "What manner of love is
this that we should be called the sons of God." After sermon I could not
find my wife, who promised to be at the gate against my coming out,
and waited there a great while; then went to my house and finding her
gone I returned and called at the Chequers, thinking to dine at the
ordinary with Mr. Chetwind and Mr. Thomas, but they not being there I
went to my father and found her there, and there I dined. To their
church in the afternoon, and in Mrs. Turner's pew my wife took up a
good black hood and kept it. A stranger preached a poor sermon, and so
read over the whole book of the story of Tobit. After sermon home with

Mrs. Turner, staid with her a little while, then she went into the court to
a christening and we to my father's, where I wrote some notes for my
brother John to give to the Mercers' to-morrow, it being the day of their
apposition. After supper home, and before going to bed I staid writing
of this day its passages, while a drum came by, beating of a strange
manner