How blessed a Sabbath!--Can it be, that I thought, onlie two Days back,
I shoulde never know Peace agayn? Joy I may not, but Peace I can and
doe. And yet nought hath amended the unfortunate Condition of mine
Affairs; but a different Colouring is caste upon them--the _Lord_ grant
that it may last! How hath it come soe, and how may it be preserved?
This Morn, when I awoke, 'twas with a Sense of Relief such as we have
when we miss some wearying bodilie Payn; a Feeling as though I had
beene forgiven, yet not by Mr. _Milton_, for I knew he had not forgiven
me. Then, it must be, I was forgiven by _God_; and why? I had done
nothing to get his Forgivenesse, only presumed on his Mercy to ask
manie Things I had noe Right to expect. And yet I felt I _was_
forgiven. Why then mighte not Mr. _Milton_ some Day forgive me?
Should the Debt of ten thousand Talents be cancelled, and not the Debt
of a hundred Pence? Then I thought on that same Word, Talents; and
considered, had I ten, or even one? Decided to consider it at leisure,
more closelie, and to make over to _God_ henceforthe, be they ten, or
be it one. Then, dressed with much Composure, and went down to
Breakfast.
Having marked that Mr. _Agnew_ and _Rose_ affected not Companie on this
Day, spent it chieflie by myself, except at Church and Meal-times;
partlie in my Chamber, partlie in the Garden Bowre by the Beehives.
Made manie Resolutions, which, in Church, I converted into Prayers and
Promises. Hence, my holy Peace.
_Monday_.
_Rose_ proposed, this Morning, we shoulde resume our Studdies. Felt
loath to comply, but did soe neverthelesse, and afterwards we walked
manie Miles, to visit some poor Folk. This Evening, Mr. _Agnew_ read
us the Prologue to the _Canterbury Tales_. How lifelike are the
Portraitures! I mind me that Mr. _Milton_ shewed me the _Talbot_ Inn,
that Day we crost the River with Mr. _Marvell_.
_Tuesday_.
How heartilie do I wish I had never read that same Letter!--or rather,
that it had never beene written. Thus it is, even with our Wishes. We
think ourselves reasonable in wishing some small Thing were otherwise,
which it were quite as impossible to alter as some great Thing.
Neverthelesse I cannot help fretting over the Remembrance of that Part
wherein he spake such bitter Things of my "most ungoverned Passion for
Revellings and Junketings." Sure, he would not call my Life too merrie
now, could he see me lying wakefulle on my Bed, could he see me
preventing the Morning Watch, could he see me at my Prayers, at my
Books, at my Needle. . . . He shall find he hath judged too hardlie of
poor _Moll_, even yet.
_Wednesday_.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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