recommending
the care of my house to W. Hewer, I with my boy Tom, whom I take with
me, to the Bull, in Bishopsgate Street, and there, about six, took
coach, he and I, and a gentleman and his man, there being another
coach also, with as many more, I think, in it; and so away to Bishop's
Stafford, and there dined, and changed horses and coach, at Mrs.
Aynsworth's; but I took no knowledge of her. Here the gentleman and I to
dinner, and in comes Captain Forster, an acquaintance of his, he that
do belong to my Lord Anglesey, who had been at the late horse-races at
Newmarket, where the King now is, and says that they had fair weather
there yesterday, though we here, and at London, had nothing but rain,
insomuch that the ways are mighty full of water, so as hardly to be
passed. Here I hear Mrs. Aynsworth is going to live at London: but I
believe will be mistaken in it; for it will be found better for her to
be chief where she is, than to have little to do at London. There
being many finer than she there. After dinner away again and come to
Cambridge, after much bad way, about nine at night; and there, at the
Rose, I met my father's horses, with a man, staying for me. But it is
so late, and the waters so deep, that I durst not go to-night; but
after supper to bed; and there lay very ill, by reason of some drunken
scholars making a noise all night, and vexed for fear that the horses
should not be taken up from grass, time enough for the morning. Well
pleased all this journey with the conversation of him that went with me,
who I think is a lawyer, and lives about Lynne, but his name I did not
ask.

24th (Lord's day). I up, at between two and three in the morning, and,
calling up my boy, and father's boy, we set out by three o'clock, it
being high day; end so through the water with very good success, though
very deep almost all the way, and got to Brampton, where most of them
in bed, and so I weary up to my wife's chamber, whom I find in bed, and
pretended a little not well, and indeed she hath those upon her, but
fell to talk and mightily pleased both of us, and upgot the rest, Betty
Turner and Willet and Jane, all whom I was glad to see, and very merry,
and got me ready in my new stuff clothes that I send down before me, and
so my wife and they got ready too, while I to my father, poor man, and
walked with him up and down the house--it raining a little, and the
waters all over Portholme and the meadows, so as no pleasure abroad