dinner, having borrowed Sir W. Pen's coach, we to Westminster, they two
and my wife and I to Mr. Martin's, where find the company almost all come
to the christening of Mrs. Martin's child, a girl. A great deal of good
plain company. After sitting long, till the church was done, the Parson
comes, and then we to christen the child. I was Godfather, and Mrs.
Holder (her husband, a good man, I know well), and a pretty lady, that
waits, it seems, on my Lady Bath, at White Hall, her name, Mrs. Noble,
were Godmothers. After the christening comes in the wine and the
sweetmeats, and then to prate and tattle, and then very good company they
were, and I among them. Here was old Mrs. Michell and Howlett, and
several married women of the Hall, whom I knew mayds. Here was also Mrs.
Burroughs and Mrs. Bales, the young widow, whom I led home, and having
staid till the moon was up, I took my pretty gossip to White Hall with us,
and I saw her in her lodging, and then my owne company again took coach,
and no sooner in the coach but something broke, that we were fain there to
stay till a smith could be fetched, which was above an hour, and then it
costing me 6s. to mend. Away round by the wall and Cow Lane,

[Cow Lane, West Smithfield (now named King Street), was famous for
its coachmakers.]

for fear it should break again; and in pain about the coach all the way.
But to ease myself therein Betty Michell did sit at the same end with me .
. . . Being very much pleased with this, we at last come home, and so
to supper, and then sent them by boat home, and we to bed. When I come
home I went to Sir W. Batten's, and there I hear more ill newes still:
that all our New England fleete, which went out lately, are put back a
third time by foul weather, and dispersed, some to one port and some to
another; and their convoys also to Plymouth; and whether any of them be
lost or not, we do not know. This, added to all the rest, do lay us flat