f sparrowgrass,--[A form once so commonly used for asparagus that
it has found its way into dictionaries.]--cost 18d. We had them and
a little bit of salmon, which my wife had a mind to, cost 3s. So to
supper, and my pain being somewhat better in my throat, we to bed.

21st (Lord's day). Up, and John, a hackney coachman whom of late I have
much used, as being formerly Sir W. Pen's coachman, coming to me by my
direction to see whether I would use him to-day or no, I took him to our
backgate to look upon the ground which is to be let there, where I have
a mind to buy enough to build a coach-house and stable; for I have had
it much in my thoughts lately that it is not too much for me now,
in degree or cost, to keep a coach, but contrarily, that I am almost
ashamed to be seen in a hackney, and therefore if I can have the
conveniency, I will secure the ground at least till peace comes, that I
do receive encouragement to keep a coach, or else that I may part with
the ground again. The place I like very well, being close to my owne
house, and so resolve to go about it, and so home and with my wife to
church, and then to dinner, Mercer with us, with design to go to Hackney
to church in the afternoon. So after dinner she and I sung "Suo Moro,"
which is one of the best pieces of musique to my thinking that ever I
did hear in my life; then took coach and to Hackney church, where very
full, and found much difficulty to get pews, I offering the sexton
money, and he could not help me. So my wife and Mercer ventured into
a pew, and I into another. A knight and his lady very civil to me when
they come, and the like to my wife in hers, being Sir G. Viner and his
lady--rich in jewells, but most in beauty--almost the finest woman that
ever I saw. That which we went chiefly to see was the young ladies
of the schools,--[Hackney was long famous for its boarding
schools.]--whereof there is great store, very pretty; and also the
organ, which is handsome, and tunes the psalm, and plays with the
people; which is mighty pretty, and makes me mighty earnest to have a
pair at our church, I having almost a mind to give them a pair, if they
would settle a maintenance on them for it. I am mightily taken with
them. So, church done, we to coach and away to Kingsland and Islington,
and there eat and drank at the Old House, and so back, it raining a
little, which is mighty welcome, it having not rained in many weeks, so
that they say it makes the fields jus