rms that
Sir G. Carteret hath thereabouts, and, among other things, report the
greatest stories of the bigness of the calfes they find there, ready to
sell to the butchers, as big, they say, as little Cowes, and that they
do give them a piece of chalke to licke, which they hold makes them
white in the flesh within. Very merry at dinner, and so to talk and
laugh after dinner, and up and down, some to [one] place, some to
another, full of content on all sides. Anon about five o'clock, Sir
G. Carteret and his lady and I took coach with the greatest joy and
kindnesse that could be from the two familys or that ever I saw with
so much appearance, and, I believe, reality in all my life. Drove
hard home, and it was night ere we got to Deptford, where, with much
kindnesse from them to me, I left them, and home to the office, where I
find all well, and being weary and sleepy, it being very late, I to bed.

2nd. Up, it being a publique fast, as being the first Wednesday of
the month, for the plague; I within doors all day, and upon my monthly
accounts late, and there to my great joy settled almost all my private
matters of money in my books clearly, and allowing myself several sums
which I had hitherto not reckoned myself sure of, because I would not
be over sure of any thing, though with reason I might do it, I did find
myself really worth L1900, for which the great God of Heaven and Earth
be praised! At night to the office to write a few letters, and so home
to bed, after fitting myself for tomorrow's journey.

3rd. Up, and betimes to Deptford to Sir G. Carteret's, where, not liking
the horse that had been hired by Mr. Uthwayt for me, I did desire Sir G.
Carteret to let me ride his new L40 horse, which he did, and so I
left my 'hacquenee'--[Haquenee = an ambling nag fitted for ladies'
riding.]--behind, and so after staying a good while in their bedchamber
while they were dressing themselves, discoursing merrily, I parted and
to the ferry, where I was forced to stay a great while before I could
get my horse brought over, and then mounted and rode very finely to
Dagenhams; all the way people, citizens, walking to and again to enquire
how the plague is in the City this week by the Bill; which by chance, at
Greenwich, I had heard was 2,020 of the plague, and 3,000 and odd of all
diseases; but methought it was a sad question to be so often asked me.
Coming to Dagenhams, I there met our company coming out of the house,
having staid a