In the morning went to church, and about 2 o’clock I went to Mr Porter’s tithe feast where I dined (in company with Mr Porter, Mr Coates, Mr Piper, Mr Burgess, Joseph Fuller, Joseph Durrant, Francis Turner, Richard Bridgman, Edmund Elphick, Mr Jenner and John Vine Jr) on a buttock and brisket of beef boiled, 5 or 6 ribs of beef roasted, 3 boiled plum puddings, carrots and turnips. I paid Mr Porter 8/- for 1 year’s tithe due at St Michael last… I came away about 11:10 when the company all broke up. Mr John Mugridge was remarkably drunk, but I think all the others were very sober, some few excepted.
There was in the evening a very strong argument between Mr Porter and Mr Adams concerning the unhappy affair of poor Elizabeth Elless. I think it must astonish almost any thinking person to see with what audaciousness the poor hardened wretch behaves, for he seems to glory in and give encouragement to crimes of the deepest dye. And his chiefest discourse consists in obscene words and oaths. Oh, may the poor unhappy creature think upon his vicious course of life and the Almighty Disposer of all events mar graciously grant him divine grace that he may repent and be converted and return unto the Lord his God.
N.B.: My family at home dined on the remains of yesterday’s dinner. Mrs Piper was this day about 1 o’clock delivered of a fine girl, but the poor old man her husband sat with us very easy both before and after the news was brought to him of his wife’s delivery, contenting himself with saying he should get home soon enough to kiss the old woman, for they were no starters.
Query: Did the old man’s actions show he felt any inward pleasure at his wife’s safe delivery or his being blessed with a fine daughter?