ght before this melancholy accident, I came home, to be sure not
entirely sober: where not finding my wife, I went directly to her
mother's, where I found her very drunk. It being night, her mother said
it would not be proper to attempt taking her home in that condition; and
therefore advised me to lie there that night, while she and her girl
would go and sleep at my lodging. We did so.

"Being now come to the unlucky day of my wife's death, I propose to be as
particular in all my actions that day as recollection will enable me.

"In the morning, after my wife's mother came back, we all breakfasted
together at her lodgings. After breakfast, I went to Mr. _Clark_, Timber
Merchant, in _St. Mary Axe_, to solicit for some _India Company's_ work:
from whence I went to the _Mansion House_ alehouse, and drank a pint of
beer. I then intended to go to work at Mr. _Perry's_ in _Noble-street_,
but it being near dinner time, I stopped at the _Bell_, opposite his
house, for another pint of beer, where meeting some acquaintance eating
beef-stakes, I dined with them. As I was eating, in came my wife and her
mother; she at first abused me for being at the alehouse, but they
afterward, in great seeming good humour, drank with me, and as they
wanted money, I gave my wife two shillings, and lent her mother a six
and ninepenny piece, which I had just received in change for half a
guinea, from the master of the public house. As the day was now far
spent, and as I was pleased with the prospect of working for the
_East-India Company_, I thought it not worth while to begin a day's work
so late. I therefore went to _Smithfield_, to see how the horse-market
went. From thence I went to _Warwick-lane_, to see for a young man, whom
I had promised to get to work for the company also. I took him to Mr.
_Clark_, in _St. Mary Axe_; and afterward went with him to two or three
places more, the last place was the _Nagg's Head_ in _Hounsditch_; and
about half an hour after nine o'clock went home.

"When I came there, I went in at the back door, which is under the
gateway; and which used to be only on a single latch, for the
conveniency of my lodgers: I went up to my room door, but finding it
fast, came down stairs again. There was then some disturbance over the
way in _Aldersgate-street_, which I walked over to see the meaning of,
imagining my wife might chance to be engaged in it. Not finding her in
the croud, I returned, and went up stairs again; while