es me, and
I did let him apprehend it, so as that the poor man wept, though he did
make it well appear to me that he could not have saved a farthing of
it. I did tell him how things stand with us, and did shew my distrust of
Pall, both for her good nature and housewifery, which he was sorry for,
telling me that indeed she carries herself very well and carefully,
which I am glad to hear, though I doubt it was but his doting and
not being able to find her miscarriages so well nowadays as he could
heretofore have done. We resolve upon sending for Will Stankes up to
town to give us a right understanding in all that we have in Brampton,
and before my father goes to settle every thing so as to resolve how to
find a living for my father and to pay debts and legacies, and also to
understand truly how Tom's condition is in the world, that we may know
what we are like to expect of his doing ill or well. So to dinner,
and after dinner to the office, where some of us met and did a little
business, and so to Sir W. Batten's to see a little picture drawing of
his by a Dutchman which is very well done. So to my office and put a
few things in order, and so home to spend the evening with my father. At
cards till late, and being at supper, my boy being sent for some mustard
to a neat's tongue, the rogue staid half an hour in the streets, it
seems at a bonfire, at which I was very angry, and resolve to beat him
to-morrow.

24th. Up betimes, and with my salt eel

[A salt eel is a rope's end cut from the piece to be used on the
back of a culprit. "Yeow shall have salt eel for supper" is an
emphatic threat.]

went down in the parler and there got my boy and did beat him till I was
fain to take breath two or three times, yet for all I am afeard it will
make the boy never the better, he is grown so hardened in his tricks,
which I am sorry for, he being capable of making a brave man, and is
a boy that I and my wife love very well. So made me ready, and to my
office, where all the morning, and at noon home, whither came Captain
Holland, who is lately come home from sea, and has been much harassed in
law about the ship which he has bought, so that it seems in a despair
he endeavoured to cut his own throat, but is recovered it; and it seems
whether by that or any other persuasion (his wife's mother being a great
zealot) he is turned almost a Quaker, his discourse being nothing but
holy, and that impertinent, that I was weary of