and it may be
the board would not have censured too hardly of it, but my intent was
to have had it as a Record for the office, but she foresaw what would be
the end of it and so desired it might rather be cancelled, which was a
plaguy deal of spite. My Lord Bruncker being gone and company, and she
also, afterwards I took my wife and people and walked into the fields
about a while till night, and then home, and so to sing a little and
then to bed. I was in great trouble all this day for my boy Tom who went
to Greenwich yesterday by my order and come not home till to-night for
fear of the plague, but he did come home to-night, saying he staid last
night by Mr. Hater's advice hoping to have me called as I come home with
my boat to come along with me.

9th. Up and walked to Greenwich, and there we sat and dispatched a good
deal of business I had a mind to. At noon, by invitation, to my Lord
Bruncker's, all of us, to dinner, where a good venison pasty, and mighty
merry. Here was Sir W. Doyly, lately come from Ipswich about the sicke
and wounded, and Mr. Evelyn and Captain Cocke. My wife also was sent for
by my Lord Bruncker, by Cocke, and was here. After dinner, my Lord and
his mistress would see her home again, it being a most cursed rainy
afternoon, having had none a great while before, and I, forced to go to
the office on foot through all the rain, was almost wet to my skin, and
spoiled my silke breeches almost. Rained all the afternoon and evening,
so as my letters being done, I was forced to get a bed at Captain
Cocke's, where I find Sir W. Doyly, and he, and Evelyn at supper; and
I with them full of discourse of the neglect of our masters, the great
officers of State, about all business, and especially that of money:
having now some thousands prisoners, kept to no purpose at a great
charge, and no money provided almost for the doing of it. We fell to
talk largely of the want of some persons understanding to look after
businesses, but all goes to rack. "For," says Captain Cocke, "my Lord
Treasurer, he minds his ease, and lets things go how they will: if he
can have his L8000 per annum, and a game at l'ombre,--[Spanish card
game]--he is well. My Lord Chancellor he minds getting of money and
nothing else; and my Lord Ashly will rob the Devil and the Alter, but he
will get money if it be to be got." But that that put us into this great
melancholy, was newes brought to-day, which Captain Cocke reports as a
certain truth, th