the Bull, where my uncle was to .hear what he and the people said of our
business, and here nothing but what liked me very well. So by and by home
and to supper, and with my mind in pretty good quiett, to bed.

17th. Up, and my father being gone to bed ill last night and continuing
so this morning, I was forced to come to a new consideration, whether it
was fit for to let my uncle and his son go to Wisbeach about my uncle
Day's estate alone or no, and concluded it unfit; and so resolved to go
with them myself, leaving my wife there, I begun a journey with them, and
with much ado, through the fens, along dikes, where sometimes we were
ready to have our horses sink to the belly, we got by night, with great
deal of stir and hard riding, to Parson's Drove, a heathen place, where I
found my uncle and aunt Perkins, and their daughters, poor wretches! in a
sad, poor thatched cottage, like a poor barn, or stable, peeling of hemp,
in which I did give myself good content to see their manner of preparing
of hemp; and in a poor condition of habitt took them to our miserable inn,
and there, after long stay, and hearing of Frank, their son, the miller,
play, upon his treble, as he calls it, with which he earns part of his
living, and singing of a country bawdy song, we sat down to supper; the
whole crew, and Frank's wife and child, a sad company, of which I was
ashamed, supped with us. And after supper I, talking with my aunt about
her report concerning my uncle Day's will and surrender, I found her in
such different reports from what she writes and says to the people, and
short of what I expected, that I fear little will be done of good in it.
By and by newes is brought to us that one of our horses is stole out of
the stable, which proves my uncle's, at which I am inwardly glad--I mean,
that it was not mine; and at this we were at a great loss; and they
doubting a person that lay at next door, a Londoner, some lawyer's clerk,
we caused him to be secured in his bed, and other care to be taken to
seize the horse; and so about twelve at night or more, to bed in a sad,