accounts still, which is never likely to have
end. Our business was to speak with Vernatty, who is certainly a most
cunning knave as ever was born. Having done what we had to do there, my
Lord carried me and set me down at the New Exchange, where I staid at
Pottle's shop till Betty Michell come, which she did about five o'clock,
and was surprised not to 'trouver my muger' I there; but I did make an
excuse good enough, and so I took 'elle' down, and over the water to the
cabinet-maker's, and there bought a dressing-box for her for 20s., but
would require an hour's time to make fit. This I was glad of, thinking
to have got 'elle' to enter to a 'casa de biber', but 'elle' would not,
so I did not much press it, but suffered 'elle' to enter 'a la casa de
uno de sus hermanos', and so I past my time walking up and down, and
among other places, to one Drumbleby, a maker of flageolets, the best in
towne. He not within, my design to bespeak a pair of flageolets of the
same tune, ordered him to come to me in a day or two, and so I back to
the cabinet-maker's and there staid; and by and by Betty comes, and
here we staid in the shop and above seeing the workmen work, which was
pretty, and some exceeding good work, and very pleasant to see them do
it, till it was late quite dark, and the mistresse of the shop took us
into the kitchen and there talked and used us very prettily, and took
her for my wife, which I owned and her big belly, and there very merry,
till my thing done, and then took coach and home ... But now comes our
trouble, I did begin to fear that 'su marido' might go to my house
to 'enquire pour elle', and there, 'trouvant' my 'muger'--[wife in
Spanish.]--at home, would not only think himself, but give my 'femme'
occasion to think strange things. This did trouble me mightily, so
though 'elle' would not seem to have me trouble myself about it, yet did
agree to the stopping the coach at the streete's end, and 'je allois con
elle' home, and there presently hear by him that he had newly sent 'su
mayde' to my house to see for her mistresse. This do much perplex me,
and I did go presently home Betty whispering me behind the 'tergo de her
mari', that if I would say that we did come home by water, 'elle' could
make up 'la cose well satis', and there in a sweat did walk in the entry
ante my door, thinking what I should say a my 'femme', and as God would
have it, while I was in this case (the worst in reference a my 'femme'
that ev