enemy, that they did not intend to be ruled by their
Secretary, but do the business themselves. My heart is glad to see so
great hopes of good to the nation as will be by these men; and it do me
good to see Sir W. Coventry so cheerfull as he now is on the same score.
Thence home, and there fell to seeing my office and closet there made
soundly clean, and the windows cleaned. At which all the morning, and so
at noon to dinner. After dinner my wife away down with Jane and W. Hewer
to Woolwich, in order to a little ayre and to lie there to-night, and so
to gather May-dew to-morrow morning,

[If we are to credit the following paragraph, extracted from the
"Morning Post" of May 2nd, 1791, the virtues of May dew were then
still held in some estimation; for it records that "on the day
preceding, according to annual and superstitious custom, a number of
persons went into the fields, and bathed their faces with the dew on
the grass, under the idea that it would render them beautiful"
(Hone's "Every Day Book," vol. ii., p. 611). Aubrey speaks of May
dew as "a great dissolvent" ("Miscellanies," p. 183).--B.]

which Mrs. Turner hath taught her as the only thing in the world to wash
her face with; and I am contented with it. Presently comes Creed, and he
and I by water to Fox-hall, and there walked in Spring Garden. A great
deal of company, and the weather and garden pleasant: that it is very
pleasant and cheap going thither, for a man may go to spend what he
will, or nothing, all is one. But to hear the nightingale and other
birds, and here fiddles, and there a harp, and here a Jew's trump, and
here laughing, and there fine people walking, is mighty divertising.
Among others, there were two pretty women alone, that walked a great
while, which being discovered by some idle gentlemen, they would needs
take them up; but to see the poor ladies how they were put to it to run
from them, and they after them, and sometimes the ladies put themselves
along with other company, then the other drew back; at last, the last
did get off out of the house, and took boat and away. I was troubled to
see them abused so; and could have found in my heart, as little desire
of fighting as I have, to have protected the ladies. So by water, set
Creed down at White Hall, and I to the Old Swan, and so home. My father
gone to bed, and wife abroad at Woolwich, I to Sir W. Pen, where he and
his Lady and Pegg and pretty Mrs