mind I am glad of it, to ease me of
the charge. So she is to go to her father this day. And leaving my wife
and her talking highly, I went away by coach with Sir J. Minnes and Sir
W. Batten to St. James's, and there attended of course the Duke. And so
to White Hall, where I met Mr. Moore, and he tells me with great sorrow
of my lord's being debauched he fears by this woman at Chelsey, which I
am troubled at, and resolve to speak to him of it if I can seasonably.
Thence home, where I dined, and after dinner comes our old mayde Susan
to look for a gorgett that she says she has lost by leaving it here,
and by many circumstances it being clear to me that Hannah, our present
cook-mayde, not only has it, but had it on upon her necke when Susan
came in, and shifted it off presently upon her coming in, I did charge
her so home with it (having a mind to have her gone from us), that in
a huff she told us she would be gone to-night if I would pay her her
wages, which I was glad and my wife of, and so fetched her her wages,
and though I am doubtful that she may convey some things away with her
clothes, my wife searching them, yet we are glad of her being so gone,
and so she went away in a quarter of an hour's time. Being much amused
at this to have never a maid but Ashwell, that we do not intend to keep,
nor a boy, and my wife and I being left for an hour, till my brother
came in, alone in the house, I grew very melancholy, and so my brother
being come in I went forth to Mrs. Holden's, to whom I formerly spoke
about a girle to come to me instead of a boy, and the like I did to
Mrs. Standing and also to my brother Tom, whom I found at an alehouse in
Popinjay ally drinking, and I standing with him at the gate of the
ally, Ashwell came by, and so I left Tom and went almost home with her,
talking of her going away. I find that she is willing to go, and told
her (though behind my back my wife has told her that it was more my
desire than hers that she should go, which was not well), that seeing
my wife and she could not agree I did choose rather (was she my sister)
have her gone, it would be better for us and for her too. To which she
willing agreed, and will not tell me anything but that she do believe
that my wife would have some body there that might not be so liable to
give me information of things as she takes her to be. But, however, I
must later to prevent all that. I parted with her near home, agreeing to
take no notice of my comin