three o'clock
'T is her revenge , as I am extremely sensible : and methinks she is the harder to me , upon reflection how near I came to being her lifelong servant , as you are to hear . 'T was on November 29th , Ao . 1642 -- a clear , frosty day -- that the King , with the Prince of Wales -LRB- newly recovered of the measles -RRB- , the Princes Rupert and Maurice , and a great company of lords and gentlemen , horse and foot , came marching back to us from Reading . I was a scholar of Trinity College in Oxford at that time , and may begin my history at three o'clock on the same afternoon , when going -LRB- as my custom was -RRB- to Mr. Rob . Drury for my fencing lesson , I found his lodgings empty . They stood at the corner of Ship Street , as you turn into the Corn Market -- a low wainscoted chamber , ill-lighted but commodious . `` He is off to see the show , '' thought I as I looked about me ; and finding an easy cushion in the window , sat down to await him .