Rec’d of Mr Porter 4/9 in full on account of Mr Alexander Whitfield. Richard Fuller carried my wife down to Mr French’s to dinner… About 7:40 Master Durrant and I walked down to Mr French’s, where I played at brag till suppertime. My wife and I lost 3/7. I supped there on some roast ducks and roast chickens, part of a cold boiled buttock of beef, cold ham, a cold chicken pasty, tarts, puffs etc., in company with Mr and Mrs Porter, Joseph Durrant and his wife, Joseph and Thomas Fuller, Ms Virgoe and Mrs Atkins, William and John Piper.
We came home about 3:20 and thank God very sober, as was all the company (except Dame Durrant). But I must own it grieves me to lose so much money, and especially as I think it wrong, nor would I ever play, were it not upon the account of being sneered at by the company; not that I think it a crime to play at cards, no farther than the consequences accruing therefrom. As for tradesmen to lose anything considerable, it is a-lessening the stock-in-trade and perhaps injuring the creditors. My wife and I gave Mr French’s maid 6d each.