1751 April 12 (Friday). Lieutenant Tainter cutt my Two Year old Colt, and Gratis, as he has been always wont generously to do all such work for me. Ebenezer and Billy go to ploughing a.m. at the Cook Island. Bright, but windy and cold. Preach’d the Lecture on Hos. 10.12, former part, omitted page 1. Proceeded to the End of page 12. After Lecture my wife and I call’d to See Mrs. Pratt, and before we came home we went to See Mr. Eliezer Rice and his wife (who had not been to Lecture either of them) to discourse with them especially with her concerning some Conversations She had had about me at old Mr. Whipple’s Some Time since. He not being in the House, I desir’d her to Send for him to come in, which She did, and he came. I told him I wanted to Speak with him, and we walk’d out, to his Gate. Upon my acquainting him with my End in coming, he was Soon in a Ruffle. He tax’d me with impudence in coming now, for that I ought to have come before. I answer’d that it was but newly that I was inform’d of the persons She Spake in the hearing of, So that I was not able to Say any Thing of it besides, I was not willing to mind it or make any Thing of it, Considering the Frame she was in when I suppose she Said what she did, but that it best to let it dye — but Seeing She came again to the Communion and She was now more in her right mind; but especially Seeing it was got about and it was Concluded by people that I had talked with her, I was desirous to know what she now had to say of it; or who the Men were that She had Said told her what She reported. He ask’d me whether I thought it convenient to talk with her now, about what she had said when (as I conceiv’d) she was not altogether herself? He also Said that he acknowledg’d he had been brought under great Trouble and Affliction in the providence of God, and he was Sorry to find that his Neighbours especially that his Minister should add Affliction to the Afflicted, and he added (most unjustly) that he thought I took a delight in it. He utter’d divers other grievous Sentences. It was so Cold we could stand no longer abroad. We went into the House — but having intimated my purpose was to talk with his Wife, I let him understand that I was not willing to be with her alone. He Said he design’d to be with her when I did talk with her. Mr. Edwards Whipple was in the House, and I talk’d with Mr. Rice then only about our Reckoning together — which we finish’d — except that when he ask’d me whether It was much better if I did not get home till Evening I told him it was Friday and I wanted to go home — but was very willing if they had any Thing to Say, or I could serve them in any Thing, to stay as long as it should need, and I waited a while, but he was silent — So that I took leave.