Skin, laught merrilie, and ate it with a Relish; faying, noe Sorte ever seemed unto him foe goode-he had received manie a Hamper of 'em about Chriftmaffe. After a Time, alle but he and I went up, and out on the Leads, to fee the Comet; and we two fitting quite ftill, and Father, doubtleffe, fuppofed to be alone, I faw a great round-shouldered mannish Shadowe glide acroffe the Passage, and hearde the Front-door Latch click. Darted forthe, but too late, and then into the Kitchen; with fome Warmth chid Betty for foe foone agayn difobeying Orders, and threatened to tell my Mamma. She cryed 1665. 1665. cryed pertlie, "Law, Mifs Deb, I "wish to Goodneffe your Mamma "was here to heare you, for I'd "fooner have one Mistress than three. "A Shadowe, indeede! I'm fure you "faw no Subftance-very like, 'twas "a Spirit; or, liker ftill, onlie the "Cat. Here, Pufs, Pufs!"**** and foe into the Paffage, as though to look for what fhe was fure not to find. I had noe Patience with her; but, returning to Father, afkt him if he had not heard the Latch click? He fayd, No; and, indeede, I think, had been dozing; foe then fate ftill, and bethoughte me what 'twere best to doe. Three Brains are too little agaynft agaynft one that is refolved to cheat. 'Tis noe Goode complayning to a Man; he will not fee, even though unafflicted like Father, who cannot. Men's Minds run on greater Things, and foe they are fretted at domestic Appeals, and generallie give Judgment the wrong Way. Thus we founde it before, poor motherleffe Girls, to our Coft; and I reallie believe it was more in Kindnesse for us than himself, that Father liftened to the Doctor's Overtures in behalfe of Mifs Minfbull; for what Companion can foe illiterate a Woman be to him? But he believed her gentle, hearde that he was a good Housewife, 1665. 1665. Housewife, and apprehended she would be kind to us * * * * Alas the Daye! What Tears we three shed in our Chamber that Night! and wifhed, too late, we had ne'er referred to him a Grievance, nor let him know we had a Burthen. Soone we founde King Log had been fucceeded by King Stork; foone made common Cause, tryed our Strength and found it wanting, and foone fubmitted to our new Yoke, and tried to make the best of it. Yes, that is the onlie Course; we alle feele it; onlie, as Ill-luck will have it, we do not always feel it fimultaneouslie. fimultaneouslie. Anne, mayhap, has one of her dogged humours; Mary and I fee how much better 'twould be, did fhe overcome it, or shut herfelf up till in better Temper. Mary is crabbed and exacting; Anne and I cannot put her straight. Well for us when we fucceed juft foe far as to keep it from the Notice of Father. Thus we rub on; I wonder if we ever shall pull all together? 1665. Like unto a wife Mafter-builder, April 22. who ordereth the Difpofition of eache Stone till the whole Building is fitly compacted together, fo doth Father build up his noble Poem, which |