etcher, Island Princess. "Why,
you stink like so many bloat-herrings newly taken out of the
chimney."--Ben Jonson, "Masque of Augurs."]

and drank good sack. Then came in Sir W. Warren and another and staid a
while with us, and then Sir Arnold Brames, with whom we staid late and
till we had drank too much wine. So home and I to bed pleased at my
afternoon's work in hanging up the shipp. So to bed.

6th (Lord's day). To church in the morning; Mr. Mills preached, who,
I expect, should take in snuffe [anger] that my wife not come to his
child's christening the other day. The winter coming on, many of parish
ladies are come home and appear at church again; among others, the three
sisters the Thornbury's, a very fine, and the most zealous people that
ever I saw in my life, even to admiration, if it were true zeal. There
was also my pretty black girl, Mrs. Dekins, and Mrs. Margaret Pen, this
day come to church in a new flowered satin suit that my wife helped to
buy her the other day. So me to dinner, and to church in the afternoon
to St. Gregory's, by Paul's, where I saw Mr. Moose in the gallery and
went up to him and heard a good sermon of Dr. Buck's, one I never
heard before, a very able man. So home, and in the evening I went to
my Valentine, her father and mother being out of town, to fetch her to
supper to my house, and then came Sir W. Pen and would have her to his,
so with much sport I got them all to mine, and we were merry, and so
broke up and to bed.

7th. Up in the morning and to my uncle Fenner's, thinking to have
met Peg Kite about her business but she comes not, so I went to Dr.
Williams, where I found him sick in bed and was sorry for it. So about
business all day, troubled in my mind till I can hear from Brampton, how
things go on at Sturtlow, at the Court, which I was cleared in at night
by a letter, which tells me that my cozen Tom was there to be admitted,
in his father's name, as heir-at-law, but that he was opposed, and I was
admitted by proxy, which put me out of great trouble of mind.

8th. At the office all the morning. After office done, went and eat some
Colchester oysters with Sir W. Batten at his house, and there, with some
company; dined and staid there talking all the afternoon; and late after
dinner took Mrs. Martha out by coach, and carried her to the Theatre
in a frolique, to my great expense, and there shewed her part of the
"Beggar's Bush," without much pleasure, but only for a