y
merry and very fine company they are, and I glad to see them. After
dinner I forced to take leave of them by being called upon by Mr.
Andrews, I having sent for him, and by a fine glosse did bring him to
desire tallys for what orders I have to pay him and his company for
Tangier victualls, and I by that means cleared to myself L210 coming
to me upon their two orders, which is also a noble addition to my late
profits, which have been very considerable of late, but how great I know
not till I come to cast up my accounts, which burdens my mind that it
should be so backward, but I am resolved to settle to nothing till I
have done it. He gone, I to my Lord Bruncker's, and there spent the
evening by my desire in seeing his Lordship open to pieces and make up
again his watch, thereby being taught what I never knew before; and it
is a thing very well worth my having seen, and am mightily pleased
and satisfied with it. So I sat talking with him till late at night,
somewhat vexed at a snappish answer Madam Williams did give me to
herself, upon my speaking a free word to her in mirthe, calling her a
mad jade. She answered, we were not so well acquainted yet. But I was
more at a letter from my Lord Duke of Albemarle to-day, pressing us
to continue our meetings for all Christmas, which, though every body
intended not to have done, yet I am concluded in it, who intended
nothing else. But I see it is necessary that I do make often visits
to my Lord Duke, which nothing shall hinder after I have evened my
accounts, and now the river is frozen I know not how to get to him.
Thence to my lodging, making up my Journall for 8 or 9 days, and so my
mind being eased of it, I to supper and to bed. The weather hath been
frosty these eight or nine days, and so we hope for an abatement of the
plague the next weeke, or else God have mercy upon us! for the plague
will certainly continue the next year if it do not.

23rd. At my office all the morning and home to dinner, my head full of
business, and there my wife finds me unexpectedly. But I not being at
leisure to stay or talk with her, she went down by coach to Woolwich,
thinking to fetch Mrs. Barbary to carry her to London to keep her
Christmas with her, and I to the office. This day one come to me with
four great turkies, as a present from Mr. Deane, at Harwich, three of
which my wife carried in the evening home with her to London in her
coach (Mrs. Barbary not being to be got so suddenly, but w