with some friends that board hereabout,[45] as a spunger;[46] and this evening
Sir Andrew Fountaine would needs have me go to the tavern; where, for two
bottles of wine, Portugal and Florence, among three of us, we had sixteen
shillings to pay; but if ever he catches me so again, I'll spend as many
pounds: and therefore I have it among my extraordinaries but we had a neck of
mutton dressed a la Maintenon, that the dog could not eat: and it is now
twelve o'clock, and I must go sleep. I hope this letter will go before I have
MD's third. Do you believe me? and yet, faith, I long for MD's third too and
yet I would have it to say, that I writ five for two. I am not fond at all of
St. James's Coffee-house,[47] as I used to be. I hope it will mend in winter;
but now they are all out of town at elections, or not come from their country
houses. Yesterday I was going with Dr. Garth[48] to dine with Charles
Main,[49] near the Tower, who has an employment there: he is of Ireland; the
Bishop of Clogher knows him well: an honest, good-natured fellow, a thorough
hearty laugher, mightily beloved by the men of wit: his mistress is never
above a cook-maid. And so, good-night, etc.

9. I dined to-day at Sir John Stanley's; my Lady Stanley[50] is one of my
favourites: I have as many here as the Bishop of Killala has in Ireland. I
am thinking what scurvy company I shall be to MD when I come back: they know
everything of me already: I will tell you no more, or I shall have nothing to
say, no story to tell, nor any kind of thing. I was very uneasy last night
with ugly, nasty, filthy wine, that turned sour on my stomach. I must go to
the tavern: oh, but I told you that before. To-morrow I dine at Harley's,
and will finish this letter at my return; but I can write no more now, because
of the Archbishop: faith, 'tis true; for I am going now to write to him an
account of what I have done in the business with Harley:[51] and, faith, young
women, I'll tell you what you must count upon, that I never will write one
word on the third side in these long letters.