Already by the following December he wants God to "yet again provide such a good Wife for me, that I may be able to say I have obtained Favour of the LORD."[632] For in the meantime his mind has been "wandering" again toward Catherine Winthrop. But the gentle widow is now very coy and close at a bargain. After many visits and some interesting love passages,[633] the judge writes, she "was Courteous to me; but took occasion to speak pretty earnestly about my keeping a Coach: I said 'twould cost £100. per a[=n]um: she said twould cost but £40."[634] Clearly the issue was getting too sharply joined; and it is not wholly surprising that the lady was a trifle cool at her suitor's next visit.[635] Later he asked her "when our proceedings should be made publick: She said they were like to be no more publick than they were already. Offer'd me no Wine that I remember." She did not offer to help him on with his coat, nor at his request would she send her servant Juno to light him home.[636] It is to be feared that Catherine had not forgiven her suitor for leaving her for Widow Dennison, and was now getting "even." But the judge stood manfully to his arms. At the next meeting "I told her ... I was come to enquire whether she could find in her heart to leave that House and Neighborhood, and go and dwell with me at the South-end; I think she said softly, Not yet. I told her it did not ly in my Lands to keep a coach.... Told her I had an Antipathy against those who would pretend to give themselves; but nothing of their Estate. I would [give] a proportion of my Estate with my self. And I su[=p]os'd she would do so."[637] It goes without saying that when Sewall made his next call the lady was "not at home." After one or two more futile efforts[638] at coming to terms the grapes began to sour. The aged wooer somewhat spitefully closes this unlucky chapter of his courtships with the ungallant remark that "I did not bid her draw off her Glove as sometimes I had done. Her dress was not so clean as sometimes it had been. Jehovah jireh."[639] Thus Eros regained his sight. [Footnote 632: Letter of Dec. 13, 1720, to Alexander Dummer, in SEWALL'S _Letter-Book_, in 6 _Mass. Hist. Coll._, II, 122, 123.] [Footnote 633: "Asked her to Acquit me of Rudeness if I drew off her Glove. Enquiring the reason, I told her twas great odds between handling a dead Goat and a living Lady. Got it off.... Told her the reason why I came every other night was lest I should drink too deep draughts of Pleasure. She had talked of Canary, her Kisses were to me better than the best Canary."--SEWALL'S _Diary_, _loc. cit._, 267.] [Footnote 634: _Ibid._, 269.] [Footnote 635: _Ibid._, 270.] [Footnote 636: "I pray'd her that Juno might light me home, she open'd the shutter, and said twas pretty light abroad; Juno was weary and gon to bed."--_Ibid._, 271.] [Footnote 637: SEWALL, _loc. cit._, 272.] [Footnote 638: _Ibid._, 273, 274.]