leave, and after having spoken with
Mr. Fenn in bed, I to bed in my Lady's chamber that she uses to lie
in, and where the Duchesse of York, that now is, was born. So to sleep;
being very well, but weary, and the better by having carried with me a
bottle of strong water; whereof now and then a sip did me good.

20th (Lord's day). Sir G. Carteret come and walked by my bedside half an
houre, talking and telling me how my Lord is in this unblameable in all
this ill-successe, he having followed orders; and that all ought to be
imputed to the falsenesse of the King of Denmarke, who, he told me as
a secret, had promised to deliver up the Dutch ships to us, and we
expected no less; and swears it will, and will easily, be the ruine of
him and his kingdom, if we fall out with him, as we must in honour
do; but that all that can be, must be to get the fleete out again to
intercept De Witt, who certainly will be coming home with the East India
ships, he being gone thither. He being gone, I up and with Fenn, being
ready to walk forth to see the place; and I find it to be a very noble
seat in a noble forest, with the noblest prospect towards Windsor, and
round about over many countys, that can be desired; but otherwise a very
melancholy place, and little variety save only trees. I had thoughts
of going home by water, and of seeing Windsor Chappell and Castle, but
finding at my coming in that Sir G. Carteret did prevent me in speaking
for my sudden return to look after business, I did presently eat a bit
off the spit about 10 o'clock, and so took horse for Stanes, and thence
to Brainford to Mr. Povy's, the weather being very pleasant to ride in.
Mr. Povy not being at home I lost my labour, only eat and drank there
with his lady, and told my bad newes, and hear the plague is round about
them there. So away to Brainford; and there at the inn that goes down to
the water-side, I 'light and paid off my post-horses, and so slipped on
my shoes, and laid my things by, the tide not serving, and to church,
where a dull sermon, and many Londoners. After church to my inn, and eat
and drank, and so about seven o'clock by water, and got between nine
and ten to Queenhive, very dark. And I could not get my waterman to go
elsewhere for fear of the plague. Thence with a lanthorn, in great fear
of meeting of dead corpses, carried to be buried; but, blessed be God,
met none, but did see now and then a linke (which is the mark of them)
at a distance. So go