n Excuse for holding my Peace, but I coulde have wished for
another Woman. However, _Father_ never thinks of that, and _Mother_
will soone be Home. After Dinner the elder Men went to the
Bowling-greene with _Dick_ and _Ralph_; the Boys to the Fish-ponds;
and, or ever I was aware, Mr. _Milton_ was walking with me on the
Terrace. My Dreame came soe forcibly to Mind, that my Heart seemed to
leap into my Mouth; but he kept away from the Fish-ponds, and from
Leave-taking, and from his morning Discourse with my _Father_,--at
least for awhile; but some Way he got round to it, and sayd soe much,
and soe well, that, after alle my _Father's_ bidding me keepe quiete
and take my Time, and mine owne Resolution to think much and long, he
never rested till he had changed the whole Appearance of Things, and
made me promise to be his, wholly and trulie.--And oh! I feare I have
been too quickly wonne!

_May 23d, 1643_.

_May 23d_. At leaste, so sayeth the Calendar; but with me it hath
beene trulie an _April_ Daye, alle Smiles and Teares. And now my
Spiritts are soe perturbed and dismaid, as that I know not whether to
weepe or no, for methinks crying would relieve me. At first waking
this Morning my Mind was elated at the Falsitie of my _Mother's_
Notion, that no Man of Sense woulde think me worth the having; and soe
I got up too proude, I think, and came down too vain, for I had spent
an unusuall Time at the Glasse. My Spiritts, alsoe, were soe unequall,
that the Boys took Notice of it, and it seemed as though I coulde
breathe nowhere but out of Doors; so the Children and I had a rare Game
of Play in the Home-close; but ever and anon I kept looking towards the
Road and listening for Horses' Feet, till _Robin_ sayd, "One would
think the King was coming:" but at last came Mr. _Milton_, quite
another Way, walking through the Fields with huge Strides. _Kate_ saw
him firste, and tolde me; and then sayd, "What makes you look soe pale?"

We sate a good Space under the Hawthorn Hedge on the Brow of the Hill,
listening to the Mower's Scythe, and the Song of Birds, which seemed
enough for him, without talking; and as he spake not, I helde my Peace,
till, with the Sun in my Eyes, I was like to drop asleep; which, as his
own Face was _from_ me, and towards the Landskip, he noted not. I was
just aiming, for Mirthe's Sake, to steale away, when he suddainlie
turned about and fell to speaking of rurall Life, Happinesse, Heaven,
and such