upholsters, who are at work upon hanging my best room, and setting up my
new bed, I find my wife sitting sad in the dining room; which enquiring
into the reason of, she begun to call me all the false, rotten-hearted
rogues in the world, letting me understand that I was with Deb.
yesterday, which, thinking it impossible for her ever to understand, I
did a while deny, but at last did, for the ease of my mind and hers, and
for ever to discharge my heart of this wicked business, I did confess
all, and above stairs in our bed chamber there I did endure the sorrow
of her threats and vows and curses all the afternoon, and, what was
worse, she swore by all that was good that she would slit the nose of
this girle, and be gone herself this very night from me, and did there
demand 3 or L400 of me to buy my peace, that she might be gone without
making any noise, or else protested that she would make all the world
know of it. So with most perfect confusion of face and heart, and sorrow
and shame, in the greatest agony in the world I did pass this afternoon,
fearing that it will never have an end; but at last I did call for W.
Hewer, who I was forced to make privy now to all, and the poor fellow
did cry like a child, [and] obtained what I could not, that she would be
pacified upon condition that I would give it under my hand never to see
or speak with Deb, while I live, as I did before with Pierce and Knepp,
and which I did also, God knows, promise for Deb. too, but I have the
confidence to deny it to the perjury of myself. So, before it was late,
there was, beyond my hopes as well as desert, a durable peace; and so
to supper, and pretty kind words, and to bed, and there je did hazer con
eile to her content, and so with some rest spent the night in bed, being
most absolutely resolved, if ever I can master this bout, never to give
her occasion while I live of more trouble of this or any other kind,
there being no curse in the world so great as this of the differences
between myself and her, and therefore I do, by the grace of God, promise
never to offend her more, and did this night begin to pray to God upon
my knees alone in my chamber, which God knows I cannot yet do heartily;
but I hope God will give me the grace more and more every day to fear
Him, and to be true to my poor wife. This night the upholsters did
finish the hanging of my best chamber, but my sorrow and trouble is so
great about this business, that it puts me out of all