I and my Foolishnesse, we laye Awake last night till yᵉ Sunrise gun, wh. was Shott att 4½ o’ck, & wh. beinge hearde in yᵗ stillnesse fm. an Incredible Distance, seem’d lyke as ’t were a Full Stopp, or Period putt to yⁱˢ Wakinge-Dreminge, whᵃᵗ I did turne a newe Leafe in my Counsells, and after much Meditation, have commenc’t a newe Chapter, wh. I hope maye leade to a better Conclusion, than them yᵗ came afore.--For I am nowe resolv’d, & havinge begunn wil carry to an Ende, yᵗ if I maie not over-come my Passion, I maye at yᵉ least over-com yᵉ Melanchollie, & Spleene, borne yᵒᶠ, & beinge a Lover, be none yᵉ lesse a Man.--To wh. Ende I have come to yⁱˢ Resolution, to depart fm. yᵉ Towne, & to goe to yᵉ Countrie-House of my Frend, Will Winthrop, who has often intreated me, & has instantly urg’d, yᵗ I sholde make him a Visitt.--And I take much Shame to myselfe, yᵗ I have not given him yⁱˢ Satisfaction since he was married, wh. is nowe ii Yeares.--A goode Fellowe, & I minde me a grete Burden to his Frends when he was in Love, in wh. Plight I mockt him, who am nowe, I much feare me, mockt myselfe.
Pack’d my cloathes, beinge Sundaye. Yᵉ better yᵉ Daie, yᵉ better yᵉ Deede.
Att Babylon, att yᵉ Cottage of Will Winthrop, wh. is no Cottage, but a grete House, Red, w. Verandahs, & builded in yᵉ Fashⁿ of Her Maiestie Q. Anne.--Found a mighty Housefull of People.--Will, his Wife, a verie proper fayre Ladie, who gave me moste gracious Reception, Mʳˢˢ Smithe, yᵉ ii Gresham girles (knowne as yᵉ Titteringe Twins), Bob White, Virginia Kinge & her Mothʳ, Clarence Winthrop, & yᵉ whole Alexander Family.--A grete Gatheringe for so earlie in yᵉ Summer.--In yᵉ Afternoone play’d Lawne-Tenniss.--Had for Partner one of yᵉ Twinns, agˢᵗ Clarence Winthrop & yᵉ other Twinn, wh. by beinge Confus’d, I loste iii games.--Was voted a Duffer.--Clarence Winthrop moste unmannerlie merrie.--He call’d me yᵉ Sad-Ey’d Romeo, & lykewise cut down yᵉ Hammocke whⁱⁿ I laye, allso tied up my Cloathes wh. we were att Bath.--He sayde, he Chaw’d them, a moste barbarous worde for a moste barbarous Use.--Wh. we were Boyes, & he did yⁱˢ thinge, I was wont to trounce him Soundlie, but nowe had to contente Myselfe w. beatinge of him iii games of Billyardes in yᵉ Evg., & w. daringe of him to putt on yᵉ Gloves w. me, for Funne, wh. he mighte not doe, for I coude knocke him colde.