at all the Dutch fleete, men-of-war and merchant East
India ships, are got every one in from Bergen the 3d of this month,
Sunday last; which will make us all ridiculous. The fleete come home
with shame to require a great deale of money, which is not to be had, to
discharge many men that must get the plague then or continue at greater
charge on shipboard, nothing done by them to encourage the Parliament to
give money, nor the Kingdom able to spare any money, if they would, at
this time of the plague, so that, as things look at present, the whole
state must come to ruine. Full of these melancholy thoughts, to bed;
where, though I lay the softest I ever did in my life, with a downe bed,
after the Danish manner, upon me, yet I slept very ill, chiefly through
the thoughts of my Lord Sandwich's concernment in all this ill successe
at sea.

10th (Lord's day). Walked home; being forced thereto by one of my
watermen falling sick yesterday, and it was God's great mercy I did not
go by water with them yesterday, for he fell sick on Saturday night, and
it is to be feared of the plague. So I sent him away to London with
his fellow; but another boat come to me this morning, whom I sent to
Blackewall for Mr. Andrews. I walked to Woolwich, and there find Mr.
Hill, and he and I all the morning at musique and a song he hath set of
three parts, methinks, very good. Anon comes Mr. Andrews, though it be a
very ill day, and so after dinner we to musique and sang till about 4 or
5 o'clock, it blowing very hard, and now and then raining, and wind and
tide being against us, Andrews and I took leave and walked to Greenwich.
My wife before I come out telling me the ill news that she hears that
her father is very ill, and then I told her I feared of the plague, for
that the house is shut up. And so she much troubled she did desire me
to send them something; and I said I would, and will do so. But before
I come out there happened newes to come to the by an expresse from Mr.
Coventry, telling me the most happy news of my Lord Sandwich's meeting
with part of the Dutch; his taking two of their East India ships, and
six or seven others, and very good prizes and that he is in search of
the rest of the fleet, which he hopes to find upon the Wellbancke,
with the loss only of the Hector, poor Captain Cuttle. This newes do
so overjoy me that I know not what to say enough to express it, but
the better to do it I did walk to Greenwich, and there sending away M