30th。　　All　the　afternoon　to　my　accounts；　and　there　find　myself；　to　my　great　joy；　a　great　deal　worth　above　4000l。　for　which　the　Lord　be　praised！　　and　is　principally　occasioned　by　my　getting　500l。　of　Cocke；　for　my　profit　in　his　bargains　of　prize　goods；　and　from　Mr。　Gauden's　making　me　a　present　of　500l。　more；　when　I　paid　him　800l。　for　Tangier。
  31st。　　Thus　ends　this　year；　to　my　great　joy；　in　this　manner。　　I　have　raised　my　estate　from　1300l。　in　this　year　to　4400l。　I　have　got　myself　greater　interest　I　think　by　my　diligence；　and　my　imployments　encreased　by　that　of　Treasurer　for　Tangier；　and　Surveyor　of　the　Victualls。　　It　is　true　we　have　gone　through　great　melancholy　because　of　the　great　plague；　and　I　put　to　great　charges　by　it；　by　keeping　my　family　long　at　Woolwich；　and　myself　and　another　part　of　my　family；　my　clerks；　at　my　charge　at　Greenwich；　and　a　maid　at　London；　but　I　hope　the　King　will　give　us　some　satisfaction　for　that。　　But　now　the　plague　is　abated　almost　to　nothing；　and　I　intending　to　get　to　London　as　fast　as　I　can。　The　Dutch　war　goes　on　very　ill；　by　reason　of　lack　of　money；　having　none　to　hope　for；　all　being　put　into　disorder　by　a　new　Act　that　is　made　as　an　experiment　to　bring　credit　to　the　Exchequer；　for　goods　and　money　to　be　advanced　upon　the　credit　of　that　Act。　The　great　evil　of　this　year；　and　the　only　one　indeed；　is　the　fall　of　my　Lord　of　Sandwich；　whose　mistake　about　the　prizes　hath　undone　him；　I　believe；　as　to　interest　at　Court；　though　sent　（for　a　little　palliating　it）　Embassador　into　Spayne；　which　he　is　now　fitting　himself　for。　　But　the　Duke　of　Albemarle　goes　with　the　Prince　to　sea　this　next　year；　and　my　Lord　is　very　meanly　spoken　of；　and；　indeed；　his　miscarriage　about　the　prize　goods　is　not　to　be　excused；　to　suffer　a　company　of　rogues　to　go　away　with　ten　times　as　much　as　himself；　and　the　blame　of　all　to　be　deservedly　laid　upon　him。　　My　whole　family　hath　been　well　all　the　while；　and　all　my　friends　I　know　of；　saving　my　aunt　Bell；　who　is　dead；　and　some　children　of　my　cosen　Sarah's；　of　the　plague。　　But　many　of　such　as　I　know　very　well；　dead；　yet；　to　our　great　joy；　the　town　fills　apace；　and　shops　begin　to　be　open　again。　　Pray　God　continue　the　plague's　decrease！　　for　that　keeps　the　Court　away　from　the　place　of　business；　and　so　all　goes　to　rack　as　to　publick　matters；　they　at　this　distance　not　thinking　of　it。
  1665…6。　JANUARY　3。　　I　to　the　Duke　of　Albemarle　and　back　again：　and　at　the　Duke's　with　great　joy　I　received　the　good　news　of　the　decrease　of　the　plague　this　week　to　70；　and　but　253　in　all；　which　is　the　least　Bill　hath　been　known　these　twenty　years　in　the　City。　Through　the　want　of　people　in　London；　is　it　that　must　make　it　so　low　below　the　ordinary　number　for　Bills。
  5th。　　I　with　my　Lord　Brouncker　and　Mrs。　Williams　by　coach　with　four　horses　to　London；　to　my　Lord's　house　in　Covent…Garden。　　But；　Lord！　　what　staring　to　see　a　nobleman's　coach　come　to　town。　　And　porters　every　where　bow　to　us；　and　such　begging　of　beggars！　　And　delightful　it　is　to　see　the　town　full　of　people　again；　and　shops　begin　to　open；　though　in　many　places　seven　or　eight　together；　and　more；　all　shut；　but　yet　the　town　is　full；　compared　with　what　it　used　to　be。　　I　mean　the　City　end：　　for　Covent…Garden　and　Westminster　are　yet　very　empty　of　people；　no　Court　nor　gentry　being　there。　　Reading　a　discourse　about　the　River　of　Thames；　the　reason　of　its　being　choked　up　in　several　places　with　shelfes：　which　is　plain　is　by　the　encroachments　made　upon　the　River；　and　running　out　of　causeways　into　the　River　at　every　wood…wharfe；　which　was　not　heretofore　when　Westminster　Hall　and　White　Hall　were　built；　and　Redriffe　Church；　which　now　are　sometimes　overflown　with　water。
  7th。　　The　town　talks　of　my　Lord　Craven　being　to　come　into　Sir　G。　Carteret's　place；　but　sure　it　cannot　be　true。　　But　I　do　fear　those　two　families；　his　and　my　Lord　Sandwich's；　are　quite　broken。　And　I　must　now　stand　upon　my　own　legs。
  9th。　　Pierce　tells　me　how　great　a　difference　hath　been　between　the　Duke　and　Duchesse；　he　suspecting　her　to　be　naught　with　Mr。　Sidney。　　But　some　way　or　other　the　matter　is　made　up；　but　he　was　banished　the　Court；　and　the　Duke　for　many　days　did　not　speak　to　the　Duchesse　at　all。　　He　tells　me　that　my　Lord　Sandwich　is　lost　there　at　Court；　though　the　King　is　particularly　his　friend。　　But　people　do　speak　every　where　slightly　of　him；　which　is　a　sad　story　to　me；　but　I　hope　it　may　be　better　again。　　And　that　Sir　G。　Carteret　is　neglected；　and　hath　great　enemies　at　work　against　him。　　That　matters　must　needs　go　bad；　while　all　the　town；　and　every　boy　in　the　street；　openly　cries；　〃The　King　cannot　go　away　till　my　Lady　Castlemaine　be　ready　to　come　along　with　him；〃　she　being　lately　put　to　bed。　　But　that　he　visits　her　and　Mrs。　Stewart　every　morning　before　he　eats　his　breakfast。
  10th。　　The　plague　is　encreased　this　week　from　seventy　to　eighty…　nine。　　We　have　also　great　fear　of　our　Hambrough　fleet；　of　their　meeting　with　the　Dutch；　as　also　have　certain　news；　that　by　storms　Sir　Jer。　Smith's　fleet　is　scattered；　and　three　of　them　come　without　masts　back　to　Plymouth。
  13th。　　Home　with　his　Lordship　to　Mrs。　Williams's；　in　Covent…　Garden；　to　dinner；　（the　first　time　I　ever　was　there；）　and　there　met　Captain　Cocke；　and　pretty　merry；　though　not　perfectly　so；　because　of　the　fear　that；　there　is　of　a　great　encrease　again　of　the　plague　this　week。　　And　again　my　Lord　Brouncker　do　tell　us；　that　he　hath　it　from　Sir　John　Baber；　＇Physician　in　Ordinary　to　the　King。＇　　who　is　related　to　my　Lord　Craven；　that　my　Lord　Craven　do　look　after　Sir　G。　Carteret's　place；　and　do　reckon　himself　sure　of　it。
  16th。　　Mightily　troubled　at　the　news　of　the　plague's　being　encreased；　and　was　much　the　saddest　news　that　the　plague　hath　brought　me　from　the　beginning　of　it；　because　of　the　lateness　of　the　year；　and　the　fear；　we　may　with　reason　have；　of　its　continuing　with　us　the　next　summer。　　The　total　being　now　375；　and　the　plague　158。
  17th。　　I　rode　to　Dagenhams　in　the　dark。　　It　was　my　Lord　Crewe's　desire　that　I　should　come；　and　chiefly　to　discourse　with　me　of　my　Lord　Sandwich's　matters；　and　therein　to　persuade；　what　I　had　done　already；　that　my　Lord　should　sue　out　a　pardon　for　his　business　of　the　prizes；　as　also　for　Bergen；　and　all　he　hath　done　this　year　past；　before　he　begins　his　Embassy　to　Spain。　　For　it　is　to　be　feared　that　the　Parliament　will　fly　out　against　him　and　particular　men；　the　next　Session。　　He　is　glad　also　that　my　Lord　is　clear　of　his　sea…imployment；　though　sorry　as　I　am；　only　in　the　manner　of　its　bringing　about。
  18th。　　My　wife　and　I　anon　and　Mercer；　by　coach；　to　Pierce；　where　mighty　merry；　and　sing　and　dance　with　great　pleasure；　and　I　danced；　who　never　did　in　company　in　my　life。
  19th。　　It　is　a　remarkable　thing　how　infinitely　naked　all　that　end　of　the　town；　Covent…Garden；　is　at　this　day　of　people；　while　the　City　is　almost　as　full　again　of　people　as　ever　it　was。
  22nd。　　At　noon　my　Lord　Brouncker　did　come；　but　left　the　keys　of　the　chests　we　should　open；　at　Sir　G。　Carteret's　lodgings；　of　my　Lord　Sandwich's；　wherein　How's　supposed　jewells　are；　so　we　could　not；　according　to　my　Lord　Arlington's　order；　see　them　to…day；　but　we　parted；　resolving　to　meet　here　at　night：　　my　Lord　Brouncker　being　going　with　Dr。　Wilkins；　Mr。　Hooke；　＇Dr。　Robert　Hooke；　before　mentioned；　Professor　of　Geometry　at　Gresham　College；　and　Curator　of　the　Experiments　to　the　Royal　Society；　of　which　he　was　one　of　the　earliest　and　most　distinguished　members。　　Ob。　1678。＇　and　others；　to　Colonel　Blunt's；　to　consider　again　of　the　business　of　chariots；　and　to　try　their　new　invention。　　Which　I　saw　here　my　Lord　Brouncker　ride　in；　where　the　coachman　sits　astride　upon　a　pole　over　the　horse；　but　do　not　touch　the　horse；　which　is　a　pretty　odde　thing；　but　it　seems　it　is　most　easy　for　the　horse；　and；　as　they　say；　for　the　man　also。　　The　first　meeting　of　Gresham　College；　since　the　plague。　　Dr。　Goddard　did　fill　us　with　talk；　in　defence　of　his　and　his　fellow　physicians　going　out　of　town　in　the　plague…time；　saying　that　their　particular　patients　were　most　gone　out　of　town；　and　they　left　at　liberty；　and　a　great　deal　more；　&c。　But　what；　among　other　fine　discourse　pleased　me　most；　was　Sir　G。　Ent　＇Sir　George　Ent；　F。R。S。；　President　of　the　College　of　Physicians。＇　　about　Respiration；　that　it　is　not　to　this　day　known；　or　concluded　on　among　physicians；　nor　to　be　done　either；　how　the　action　is　managed　by　nature；　or　for　what　use　it　is。
  23rd。　　Good　news　beyond　all　expectation　of　the　decrease　of　the　plague；　being　now　but　79；　and　the　whole　but　272。　　So　home　with　comfort　to　bed。　　A　most　furious　storme　all　night　and　morning。
  24th。　　My　Lord　and　I；　the　weather　being　a　little　fairer；　by　water　to　Deptford　to　Sir　G。　Carteret's　house；　where　W。　How　met　us；　and　there　we　opened　the　chests；　and　saw　the　poor　sorry　rubys　which　have　caused　all　this　ado　to　the　undoing　of　W。　How；　though　I　am　not　much　sorry　for　it；　because　of　his　pride　and　ill　nature。　About　200　of　these　very　small　stones；　and　a　cod　of　muske　（which　it　is　strange　I　was　not　able　to　smell）　is　all　we　could　find；　so　locked　them　up　again；　and　my　Lord　and　I；　the　wind　being　again　very　furious；　so　as　we　durst　not　go　by　water；　walked　to　London　quite　round　the　bridge；　no　boat　being　able　to　stirre；　and；　Lord！　what　a　dirty　walk　we　had；　and　so　strong　the　wind；