and the burden of paying all debts will fall upon
the rest of the land. Not that I would do my
brother any real hurt. I advised my father to
good husbandry and to living within the compass of
L50 a year, and all in such kind words, as not only
made, them but myself to weep, and I hope it will
have a good effect. That being done, and all
things agreed on, we went down, and after a glass of
wine we all took horse, and I, upon a horse hired of
Mr. Game, saw him out of London, at the end of Bishopsgate
Street, and so I turned and rode, with some trouble,
through the fields, and then Holborn, &c., towards
Hide Park, whither all the world, I think, are going,
and in my going, almost thither, met W. Howe coming
galloping upon a little crop black nag; it seems one
that was taken in some ground of my Lord’s, by
some mischance being left by his master, a thief;
this horse being found with black cloth ears on, and
a false mayne, having none of his own; and I back again
with him to the Chequer, at Charing Cross, and there
put up my own dull jade, and by his advice saddled
a delicate stone-horse of Captain Ferrers’s,
and with that rid in state to the Park, where none
better mounted than I almost, but being in a throng
of horses, seeing the King’s riders showing
tricks with their managed horses, which were very strange,
my stone-horse was very troublesome, and begun to,
fight with other horses, to the dangering him and
myself, and with much ado I got out, and kept myself
out of harm’s way.. Here I saw nothing
good, neither the King, nor my Lady Castlemaine, nor
any great ladies or beauties being there, there being
more pleasure a great deal at an ordinary day; or else
those few good faces that there were choked up with
the many bad ones, there being people of all sorts
in coaches there, to some thousands, I think.
Going thither in the highway, just by the Park gate,
I met a boy in a sculler boat, carried by a dozen
people at least, rowing as hard as he could drive,
it seems upon some wager. By and by, about seven
or eight o’clock, homeward; and changing my
horse again, I rode home, coaches going in great crowds
to the further end of the town almost. In my
way, in Leadenhall Street, there was morris-dancing
which I have not seen a great while. So set my
horse up at Game’s, paying 5s. for him.
And so home to see Sir J. Minnes, who is well again,
and after staying talking with him awhile, I took leave
and went to hear Mrs. Turner’s daughter, at whose
house Sir J. Minnes lies, play on the harpsicon; but,
Lord! it was enough to make any man sick to hear her;
yet I was forced to commend her highly. So home
to supper and to bed, Ashwell playing upon the tryangle
very well before I went to bed. This day Captain
Grove sent me a side of pork, which was the oddest
present, sure, that was ever made any man; and the
next, I remember I told my wife, I believe would be
a pound of candles, or a shoulder of mutton; but the
fellow do it in kindness, and is one I am beholden
to. So to bed very weary, and a little galled
for lack of riding, praying to God for a good journey
to my father, of whom I am afeard, he being so lately
ill of his pain.