nothing in its Way ever pleased me more than to heare the Choristers of _Magdalen_ College usher in _May_ Day by chaunting a Hymn at the Top of the Church Towre. Discoursing of this and that, we thus sate a good While ere we returned to the House. . . . Coming out of Church he woulde shun the common Field, where the Villagery led up theire Sports, saying, he deemed Quoit-playing and the like to be unsuitable Recreations on a Daye whereupon the _Lord_ had restricted us from speakinge our own Words, and thinking our own (that is, secular) Thoughts: and that he believed the Law of _God_ in this Particular woulde soone be the Law of the Land, for Parliament woulde shortlie put down _Sunday_ Sports. I askt, "What, the _King's_ Parliament at _Oxford_?" He answered, "No; _the Country's_ Parliament at _Westminster_." I sayd, I was sorrie, for manie poore hard-working Men had no other Holiday. He sayd, another Holiday woulde be given them; and that whether or no, we must not connive at Evil, which we doe in permitting an _holy Daye_ to sink into a Holiday. I sayd, but was it not the _Jewish_ Law, which had made such Restrictions? He sayd, yes, but that _Christ_ came not to destroy the moral Law, of which Sabbath-keeping was a Part, and that even its naturall Fitnesse for the bodily Welfare of Man and Beast was such as no wise Legislator would abolish or abuse it, even had he no Consideration for our spiritual and immortal Part: and that 'twas a well-known Fact that Beasts of Burthen, which had not one Daye of Rest in seven, did lesse Worke in the End. As for oure Soules, he sayd, they required theire spiritual Meales as much as our Bodies required theires; and even poore, rusticall Clownes who coulde not reade, mighte nourish their better Parts by an holie Pause, and by looking within them, and around them, and above them. I felt inclined to tell him that long Sermons alwaies seemed to make me love _God_ less insteade of more, but woulde not, fearing he mighte take it that I meant _he_ had been giving me one. _Monday_.