ch as I ought to do, though there has been nothing but my
attendance on Tangier that has occasioned my absence, and that of late
not much.

23rd. Up, and at the office busy all the morning. At noon dined alone,
my wife and mother being gone by invitation to dine with my mother's old
servant Mr. Cordery, who made them very welcome. So to Mr. Povy's, where
after a little discourse about his business I home again, and late at
the office busy. Late comes Sir Arthur Ingram to my office, to tell me
that, by letters from Amsterdam of the 28th of this month (their style),

[The new style was adopted by most of the countries of Europe long
before it was legalized in England, although Russia still retains
the old style.]

the Dutch fleete, being about 100 men-of-war, besides fire-ships,
&c., did set out upon the 23rd and 24th inst. Being divided into seven
squadrons; viz., 1. Generall Opdam. 2. Cottenar, of Rotterdam. 3. Trump.
4. Schram, of Horne. 5. Stillingworth, of Freezland. 6. Everson. 7. One
other, not named, of Zealand.

24th. Up, and by 4 o'clock in the morning, and with W. Hewer, there
till 12 without intermission putting some papers in order. Thence to the
Coffee-house with Creed, where I have not been a great while, where all
the newes is of the Dutch being gone out, and of the plague growing upon
us in this towne; and of remedies against it: some saying one thing,
some another. So home to dinner, and after dinner Creed and I to
Colvill's, thinking to shew him all the respect we could by obliging him
in carrying him 5 tallys of L5000 to secure him for so much credit he
has formerly given Povy to Tangier, but he, like an impertinent fool,
cavills at it, but most ignorantly that ever I heard man in my life.
At last Mr. Viner by chance comes, who I find a very moderate man,
but could not persuade the fool to reason, but brought away the tallys
again, and so vexed to my office, where late, and then home to my supper
and to bed.

25th. Up, and to the office, where all the morning. At noon dined at
home, and then to the office all the afternoon, busy till almost 12 at
night, and then home to supper and to bed.

26th. Up at 4 o'clock, and all the morning in my office with W. Hewer
finishing my papers that were so long out of order, and at noon to my
bookseller's, and there bespoke a book or two, and so home to dinner,
where Creed dined with me, and he and I afterwards to Alderman
Backewell's to try him