that he would be upheld
against the design of any to ruin him, he being we all believed, but Sir
W. Batten his mortal enemy, as good a servant as any the King has in
the yard. After much good advice and other talk I home and danced with
Pembleton, and then the barber trimmed me, and so to dinner, my wife and
I having high words about her dancing to that degree that I did enter
and make a vow to myself not to oppose her or say anything to dispraise
or correct her therein as long as her month lasts, in pain of 2s. 6d.
for every time, which, if God pleases, I will observe, for this roguish
business has brought us more disquiett than anything [that] has happened
a great while. After dinner to my office, where late, and then home; and
Pembleton being there again, we fell to dance a country dance or two,
and so to supper and bed. But being at supper my wife did say something
that caused me to oppose her in, she used the word devil, which vexed
me, and among other things I said I would not have her to use that word,
upon which she took me up most scornfully, which, before Ashwell and
the rest of the world, I know not now-a-days how to check, as I would
heretofore, for less than that would have made me strike her. So that
I fear without great discretion I shall go near to lose too my command
over her, and nothing do it more than giving her this occasion of
dancing and other pleasures, whereby her mind is taken up from her
business and finds other sweets besides pleasing of me, and so makes her
that she begins not at all to take pleasure in me or study to please
me as heretofore. But if this month of her dancing were but out (as my
first was this night, and I paid off Pembleton for myself) I shall hope
with a little pains to bring her to her old wont. This day Susan that
lived with me lately being out of service, and I doubt a simple wench,
my wife do take her for a little time to try her at least till she goes
into the country, which I am yet doubtful whether it will be best for me
to send her or no, for fear of her running off in her liberty before I
have brought her to her right temper again.

22nd. Up pretty betimes, and shall, I hope, come to myself and business
again, after a small playing the truant, for I find that my interest and
profit do grow daily, for which God be praised and keep me to my duty.
To my office, and anon one tells me that Rundall, the house-carpenter of
Deptford, hath sent me a fine blackbird, which I w