e was ill. But this opportunity was taken to injure
Povy, and most horribly he is abused by some persons hereupon, and his
fortune, I believe, quite broke; but that he hath a good heart to bear,
or a cunning one to conceal his evil. There I met with Sir W. Coventry,
and by and by was heard by my Lord Chancellor and Treasurer about our
Tangier money, and my Lord Treasurer had ordered me to forbear meddling
with the L15,000 he offered me the other day, but, upon opening the case
to them, they did offer it again, and so I think I shall have it, but
my Lord General must give his consent in it, this money having been
promised to him, and he very angry at the proposal. Here though I have
not been in many years, yet I lacke time to stay, besides that it is,
I perceive, an unpleasing thing to be at Court, everybody being fearful
one of another, and all so sad, enquiring after the plague, so that I
stole away by my horse to Kingston, and there with trouble was forced,
to press two sturdy rogues to carry me to London, and met at the
waterside with Mr. Charnocke, Sir Philip Warwicke's clerke, who had been
in company and was quite foxed. I took him with me in my boat, and so
away to Richmond, and there, by night, walked with him to Moreclacke, a
very pretty walk, and there staid a good while, now and then talking and
sporting with Nan the servant, who says she is a seaman's wife, and at
last bade good night.

11th. And so all night down by water, a most pleasant passage, and come
thither by two o'clock, and so walked from the Old Swan home, and there
to bed to my Will, being very weary, and he lodging at my desire in
my house. At 6 o'clock up and to Westminster (where and all the towne
besides, I hear, the plague encreases), and, it being too soon to go to
the Duke of Albemarle, I to the Harp and Ball, and there made a bargain
with Mary to go forth with me in the afternoon, which she with much ado
consented to. So I to the Duke of Albemarle's, and there with much ado
did get his consent in part to my having the money promised for Tangier,
and the other part did not concur. So being displeased with this, I back
to the office and there sat alone a while doing business, and then by
a solemn invitation to the Trinity House, where a great dinner and
company, Captain Dobbin's feast for Elder Brother. But I broke up before
the dinner half over and by water to the Harp and Ball, and thence had
Mary meet me at the New Exchange, and there too