ent) alone. This is the day seven years
which, by the blessing of God, I have survived of my being cut of the
stone, and am now in very perfect good health and have long been; and
though the last winter hath been as hard a winter as any have been these
many years, yet I never was better in my life, nor have not, these
ten years, gone colder in the summer than I have done all this winter,
wearing only a doublet, and a waistcoate cut open on the back; abroad,
a cloake and within doors a coate I slipped on. Now I am at a losse to
know whether it be my hare's foot which is my preservative against wind,
for I never had a fit of the collique since I wore it, and nothing but
wind brings me pain, and the carrying away of wind takes away my pain,
or my keeping my back cool; for when I do lie longer than ordinary upon
my back in bed, my water the next morning is very hot, or whether it be
my taking of a pill of turpentine every morning, which keeps me always
loose, or all together, but this I know, with thanks to God Almighty,
that I am now as well as ever I can wish or desire to be, having now and
then little grudgings of wind, that brings me a little pain, but it is
over presently, only I do find that my backe grows very weak, that I
cannot stoop to write or tell money without sitting but I have pain for
a good while after it. Yet a week or two ago I had one day's great pain;
but it was upon my getting a bruise on one of my testicles, and then I
did void two small stones, without pain though, and, upon my going
to bed and bearing up of my testicles, I was well the next. But I did
observe that my sitting with my back to the fire at the office did then,
as it do at all times, make my back ake, and my water hot, and brings me
some pain. I sent yesterday an invitation to Mrs. Turner and her family
to come to keep this day with me, which she granted, but afterward
sent me word that it being Sunday and Easter day she desired to choose
another and put off this. Which I was willing enough to do; and so put
it off as to this day, and will leave it to my own convenience when to
choose another, and perhaps shall escape a feast by it. At my office all
the afternoon drawing up my agreement with Mr. Povy for me to sign to
him tomorrow morning. In the evening spent an hour in the garden walking
with Sir J. Minnes, talking of the Chest business, wherein Sir W. Batten
deals so unfairly, wherein the old man is very hot for the present,
but that ze