Lord Chancellor, and then the Sheriffes, should fail
to do it. He tells me also, how, upon occasion
of some ’prentices being put in the pillory
to-day for beating of their masters, or some such
like thing, in Cheapside, a company of ’prentices
came and rescued them, and pulled down the pillory;
and they being set up again, did the like again.
So that the Lord Mayor and Major Generall Browne
was fain to come and stay there, to keep the peace;
and drums, all up and down the city, was beat to raise
the trained bands, for to quiett the towne, and by
and by, going out with my uncle and aunt Wight by coach
with my wife through Cheapside (the rest of the company
after much content and mirth being broke up), we saw
a trained band stand in Cheapside upon their guard.
We went, much against my uncle’s will, as far
almost as Hyde Park, he and my aunt falling out all
the way about it, which vexed me, but by this I understand
my uncle more than ever I did, for he was mighty soon
angry, and wished a pox take her, which I was sorry
to hear. The weather I confess turning on a
sudden to rain did make it very unpleasant, but yet
there was no occasion in the world for his being so
angry, but she bore herself very discreetly, and I
must confess she proves to me much another woman than
I thought her, but all was peace again presently, and
so it raining very fast, we met many brave coaches
coming from the Parke and so we turned and set them
down at home, and so we home ourselves, and ended
the day with great content to think how it hath pleased
the Lord in six years time to raise me from a condition
of constant and dangerous and most painfull sicknesse
and low condition and poverty to a state of constant
health almost, great honour and plenty, for which the
Lord God of heaven make me truly thankfull.
My wife found her gowne come home laced, which is
indeed very handsome, but will cost me a great deal
of money, more than ever I intended, but it is but
for once. So to the office and did business,
and then home and to bed.
27th (Lord’s day). Lay long in bed wrangling
with my wife about the charge she puts me to at this
time for clothes more than I intended, and very angry
we were, but quickly friends again. And so rising
and ready I to my office, and there fell upon business,
and then to dinner, and then to my office again to
my business, and by and by in the afternoon walked
forth towards my father’s, but it being church
time, walked to St. James’s, to try if I could
see the belle Butler, but could not; only saw her
sister, who indeed is pretty, with a fine Roman nose.
Thence walked through the ducking-pond fields; but
they are so altered since my father used to carry
us to Islington, to the old man’s, at the King’s
Head, to eat cakes and ale (his name was Pitts) that
I did not know which was the ducking-pond nor where
I was. So through F[l]ee[t] lane to my father’s,
and there met Mr. Moore, and discoursed with him and
my father about who should administer for my brother