got his wife with child since I came
thither. Which I took hold of and was merrily asking him what he would
take to have it said for my honour that it was of my getting? He merrily
answered that he would if I would promise to be godfather to it if it
did come within the time just, and I said that I would. So that I must
remember to compute it when the time comes.

11th. At 2 o'clock, with very great mirth, we went to our lodging and to
bed, and lay till 7, and then called up by Sir W. Batten, so I arose and
we did some business, and then came Captn. Allen, and he and I withdrew
and sang a song or two, and among others took pleasure in "Goe and bee
hanged, that's good-bye." The young ladies come too, and so I did again
please myself with Mrs. Rebecca, and about 9 o'clock, after we had
breakfasted, we sett forth for London, and indeed I was a little
troubled to part with Mrs. Rebecca, for which God forgive me. Thus we
went away through Rochester, calling and taking leave of Mr. Alcock
at the door, Capt. Cuttance going with us. We baited at Dartford, and
thence to London, but of all the journeys that ever I made this was the
merriest, and I was in a strange mood for mirth.

Among other things, I got my Lady to let her maid, Mrs. Anne, to ride
all the way on horseback, and she rides exceeding well; and so I called
her my clerk, that she went to wait upon me. I met two little schoolboys
going with pitchers of ale to their schoolmaster to break up against
Easter, and I did drink of some of one of them and give him two pence.
By and by we come to two little girls keeping cows, and I saw one of
them very pretty, so I had a mind to make her ask my blessing, and
telling her that I was her godfather, she asked me innocently whether I
was not Ned Wooding, and I said that I was, so she kneeled down and very
simply called, "Pray, godfather, pray to God to bless me," which made
us very merry, and I gave her twopence. In several places, I asked women
whether they would sell me their children, but they denied me all, but
said they would give me one to keep for them, if I would. Mrs. Anne and
I rode under the man that hangs upon Shooter's Hill,

[Shooter's Hill, Kent, between the eighth and ninth milestones on
the Dover road. It was long a notorious haunt of highwaymen. The
custom was to leave the bodies of criminals hanging until the bones
fell to the ground.]

and a filthy sight it was to see how his flesh is s