my Lady Batten, and I by coach to Bednall Green, to Sir
W. Rider's to dinner, where a fine place, good lady mother, and their
daughter, Mrs. Middleton, a fine woman. A noble dinner, and a fine merry
walk with the ladies alone after dinner in the garden, which is very
pleasant; the greatest quantity of strawberrys I ever saw, and good,
and a collation of great mirth, Sir J. Minnes reading a book of scolding
very prettily. This very house

[Sir William Rider's house was known as Kirby Castle, and was
supposed to have been built in 1570 by John Thorpe for John Kirby.
It was associated in rhyme with other follies of the time in bricks
and mortar, as recorded by Stow

"Kirkebyes Castell, and Fisher's Follie,
Spinila's pleasure, and Megse's glorie."

The place was known in Strype's time as the "Blind Beggar's House,"
but he knew nothing of the ballad, "The Beggar's Daughter of Bednall
Green," for he remarks, "perhaps Kirby beggared himself by it." Sr.
William Rider died at this house in 1669.]

was built by the Blind Beggar of Bednall Green, so much talked of and
sang in ballads; but they say it was only some of the outhouses of it.
We drank great store of wine, and a beer glass at last which made me
almost sick. At table, discoursing of thunder and lightning, they
told many stories of their own knowledge at table of their masts being
shivered from top to bottom, and sometimes only within and the outside
whole, but among the rest Sir W. Rider did tell a story of his own
knowledge, that a Genoese gaily in Leghorn Roads was struck by thunder,
so as the mast was broke a-pieces, and the shackle upon one of the
slaves was melted clear off of his leg without hurting his leg. Sir
William went on board the vessel, and would have contributed towards
the release of the slave whom Heaven had thus set free, but he could not
compass it, and so he was brought to his fetters again. In the evening
home, and a little to my Tryangle, and so to bed.

27th. Up by 4 o'clock and a little to my office. Then comes by agreement
Sir W. Warren, and he and I from ship to ship to see deals of all sorts,
whereby I have encreased my knowledge and with great pleasure. Then to
his yard and house, where I staid two hours or more discoursing of the
expense of the navy and the corruption of Sir W. Batten and his man
Wood that he brings or would bring to sell all that is to be so