Extracts from the Diary of William Bray | Page 6

of strawberries for Master Jacky and
myself, 1.5d.

Aug. 6th.--Wheat, under 10 pounds.
Sept. 11th, Sunday.--A brief for the repair of the groins at
Brighthelmstone; paid 6d.
27th.--Miss Molly Flutter married to Mr. Chandler. {12}
Oct. 6th.--Miss Jeale married to Mr. Maxhill.
Nov. 7th.--Paid earnest of coach, {13} 2s. 6d. Wine at the 'White Hart,'
6d.
10th.--Paid remainder for coach, 2s. 6d., coachman, 6d.; dinner at
chop-house, 10d.; breakfast on the road, 9d.; coffee in the afternoon,
4d.
12th.--To Drury Lane Theatre: 'King Lear,' by Garrick. Agreed with the
barber for shaving me at 6s. a quarter.
14th.--To the theatre: Garrick as Don Felix, in 'The Wonder.'
23rd.--At 4 to Drury Lane; the King being there to-night, very much
crowded. Miss Gunning and her two sisters and a number of people of
quality. 'The Tempest,' and 'Harlequin Ranger'; both very foolish to see.
Home at 10.
28th.--I was sworn in to-day in the King's Bench as an Attorney of that
Court. Paid Judges' clerk, when I went to be examined, 7s.; servant, 1s.
Admission on stamp, 6 pounds 6s. At 8 with Jenkins and James {14} to
the Robin Hood Society. Stayed there till past 9, then went into a room
below and stayed till 11.
30th.--Paid 10s. 6d. for entering as a pupil of Mons. Prieur, a French
master. {15}
Dec. 1st.--To Covent Garden Theatre. Paid for a fortnight's board and
lodging, 1 pound 4s.; for a bushel of coals, 1s. 2d. Tea at Prosser's
coffee-house, 4d.; wine after dinner, 3d.; a pound of candles, 7d.
7th.--To chambers (Mr. Adderley's) till near 7, then James came home
with me. At whist till 11.
9th.--To chambers. Home to dinner. At 4 to Drury Lane Theatre: 'The
Careless Husband'--Lord Chalkstone, Mr. Garrick.
10th.--To Mr. Adderley's till dinner. Thither in the afternoon. At 6
drank tea with Jenkins.
11th.--To chambers; after dinner there again. Home at 7; at 9, Jenkins,
James, and Mersing, at whist till 11.
Dec. 12th.--To chambers. Paid for cyder with James, after dinner, 3d.;
wine with Mersing at night, 3d.

14th.--At whist with Jenkins, James, and Mersing.
17th.--Jenkins and James came home with me at 7; played at draughts
with Jenkins. Afterwards Boughton came and took us to his lodgings;
at whist till 11.
21st.--With Boughton and James; mobbed it for the first row of the
upper gallery at Drury Lane, which we got.
22nd.--To Drury Lane; an old play of Shirley's, 'The Gamesters,'
revived.
23rd.--To chambers; after dinner to d0. At 7, home; Jenkins, James, and
Boughton, to whist till 11.
25th.--To the Temple Chapel, at the Sacrament. In the afternoon with
James and Boughton to the Romish Chapel in Lincoln's Inn Fields; then
to Mrs. Emily's and drank tea. Home at 8.
27th.--With Boughton to St. Michael's Church, Cornhill, and heard part
of a sermon; afterwards to St. Mildred's, and heard part of the prayers.
At whist with Sibthorpe, Boughton, and Jenkins till near 11.
28th.--To an auction of books {16} at the 'Robin Hood.'
31st.--Between 9 and 10 Mrs. Mouling sent for me, to play at whist
with her son and daughter till 11.
1758, Jan. 2nd.--To chambers at 4 till past 7; then home; Boughton,
Daniel, and Mersing came, and played at whist till 12.
The following is written on a slip of paper:- 'Jan. 1st, 1758.--In my
pocket, 1 pound 5s. 5d.; purse, 17 pounds 9s. 6d.; money laid out for
my brother, &c. 2 pounds 7s. 7.5d.; due from my mother at Christmas,
2 pounds 2s.; in my card purse, {17} 12s. 2d.; Bank 3 per cent.
Reduced Annuities, 100 pounds.
'Of wife and children, debts and taxes clear, 123 pounds 16s. 8.5d.'
Jan. 29th, Sunday.--Between 2 and 3 to the Speaker's to dinner; sat an
hour before dinner; paid the servant, 2s.
Feb. 19th, Sunday.--To St. Dunstan's Church. After dinner called on Mr.
Maxwell; then to church at St. Andrew's, Holborn; called on Mersing;
soon after 4 Sam Ford came in; I stayed with him till past 7; then went
home and got my fire lighted, and at 9 they came and stayed till 12.
21st.--Took a place in the Godalming Machine.
22nd.--To the 'New Inn,' Western Bridge, soon after 6; waited till 7;
there being eight passengers, they sent a chaise in which I and a
gentleman came; stopped at Cobham; arrived at Guildford {18}

between 3 and 4. Paid coach, 5s.; breakfast at Cobham, 18. coachman,
1s.
April 17th.--At 6 set out in the coach for London. Dined at Kingston; in
about 5. With James and Jenkins to Mr. Boughton's; at whist till 11.
Paid coach and man, 5s. 6d.; dinner, 2s.
18th.--To the play: 'The Provoked Husband,' Mr. Garrick.
19th.--Breakfasted with James at Johnstone's Coffee House, Charing
Cross. Paid for chocolate and muffin, 2.5d.
23rd, Sunday.--To St. Dunstan's Church; walked in