Dartford, and to rain hard, and the horses to fayle, which was our great
care to prevent, for fear of my Lord's displeasure, so here we sat up for
to-night, as also Captains Cuttance and Blake, who came along with us. We
sat and talked till supper, and at supper my Lady and I entered into a
great dispute concerning what were best for a man to do with his
estate--whether to make his elder son heir, which my Lady is for, and I
against, but rather to make all equall. This discourse took us much time,
till it was time to go to bed; but we being merry, we bade my Lady
goodnight, and intended to have gone to the Post-house to drink, and hear
a pretty girl play of the cittern (and indeed we should have lain there,
but by a mistake we did not), but it was late, and we could not hear her,
and the guard came to examine what we were; so we returned to our Inn and
to bed, the page and I in one bed, and the two captains in another, all in
one chamber, where we had very good mirth with our most abominable
lodging.

18th. The Captains went with me to the post-house about 9 o'clock, and
after a morning draft I took horse and guide for London; and through some
rain, and a great wind in my face, I got to London at eleven o'clock. At
home found all well, but the monkey loose, which did anger me, and so I
did strike her till she was almost dead, that they might make her fast
again, which did still trouble me more. In the afternoon we met at the
office and sat till night, and then I to see my father who I found well,
and took him to Standing's' to drink a cup of ale. He told me my aunt at
Brampton is yet alive and my mother well there. In comes Will Joyce to us
drunk, and in a talking vapouring humour of his state, and I know not
what, which did vex me cruelly. After him Mr. Hollier had learned at my
father's that I was here (where I had appointed to meet him) and so he did
give me some things to take for prevention. Will Joyce not letting us
talk as I would I left my father and him and took Mr. Hollier to the