Pierce, the surgeon, comes from the East Indys, black the greatest part,
with the finest collar of white about the neck; but talks many things and
neyes like the horse, and other things, the best almost that ever I heard
bird in my life. Thence down with Mr. Coventry and Sir W. Rider, who was
there (going along with us from the East Indya house to-day) to discourse
of my Lord Peterborough's accounts, and then walked over the Parke, and in
Mr. Cutler's coach with him and Rider as far as the Strand, and thence I
walked to my Lord Sandwich's, where by agreement I met my wife, and there
dined with the young ladies; my Lady, being not well, kept her chamber.
Much simple discourse at table among the young ladies. After dinner
walked in the garden, talking, with Mr. Moore about my Lord's business.
He told me my Lord runs in debt every day more and more, and takes little
care how to come out of it. He counted to me how my Lord pays use now for
above L9000, which is a sad thing, especially considering the probability
of his going to sea, in great danger of his life, and his children, many
of them, to provide for. Thence, the young ladies going out to visit, I
took my wife by coach out through the city, discoursing how to spend the
afternoon; and conquered, with much ado, a desire of going to a play; but
took her out at White Chapel, and to Bednal Green; so to Hackney, where I
have not been many a year, since a little child I boarded there. Thence
to Kingsland, by my nurse's house, Goody Lawrence, where my brother Tom
and I was kept when young. Then to Newington Green, and saw the outside
of Mrs. Herbert's house, where she lived, and my Aunt Ellen with her; but,
Lord! how in every point I find myself to over-value things when a child.
Thence to Islington, and so to St. John's to the Red Bull, and there: saw
the latter part of a rude prize fought, but with good pleasure enough; and
thence back to Islington, and at the King's Head, where Pitts lived, we
'light and eat and drunk for remembrance of the old house sake, and so
through Kingsland again, and so to Bishopsgate, and so home with great
pleasure. The country mighty pleasant, and we with great content home,