d after dinner Sir William came to me, and
he and his son and Aaugliter, and I and my wife, by coach to Moorfields
to walk; but it was most foul weather, and so we went into an alehouse
and there eat some cakes and ale, and a washeallbowle

["The wenches with their wassall bowls
About the streets are singing."
--Wither's Christmas Carol.

The old custom of carrying the wassail bowl from door to door, with
songs and merriment, in Christmas week, is still observed in some of
our rural districts.--B.]

woman and girl came to us and sung to us. And after all was done I
called my boy (Wayneman) to us to eat some cake that was left, and the
woman of the house told us that he had called for two cakes and a pot
of ale for himself, at which I was angry, and am resolved to correct him
for it. So home, and Sir W. Pen and his son and daughter to supper to me
to a good turkey, and were merry at cards, and so to bed.

27th. In the morning to my Bookseller's to bespeak a Stephens's
Thesaurus, for which I offer L4, to give to Paul's School; and from
thence to Paul's Church; and there I heard Dr. Gunning preach a good
sermon upon the day (being St. John's day), and did hear him tell a
story, which he did persuade us to believe to be true, that St. John and
the Virgin Mary did appear to Gregory, a Bishopp, at his prayer to be
confirmed in the faith, which I did wonder to hear from him. Here I
met with Mr. Crumlum (and told him of my endeavour to get Stephens's
Thesaurus for the school), and so home, and after dinner comes Mr.
Faulconberge to see me, and at his desire I sent over for his kinsman
Mr. Knightly, the merchant, and so he came over and sat and drank with
us, and at his request I went over with him, and there I sat till the
evening, and till both Mr. Knightly and Mr. Faulconberge (for whom I
sent my boy to get a coach to carry him to Westminster) were both drunk,
and so home, but better wine I never drank in all my life. So home, and
finding my wife gone to Sir W. Pen's, I went thither, and there I sat
and played at cards and supped, and so home and to bed.

28th. At home all the morning; and in the afternoon all of us at the
office, upon a letter from the Duke for the making up of a speedy
estimate of all the debts of the Navy, which is put into good
forwardness. I home and Sir W. Pen to my house, who with his children
staid playing cards late, and so to b