ek
a lodging which my W. Hewer did get me, viz., his own chamber in the
towne, whither I went and found it a very fine room, and there lay most
excellently.

20th. Called up by Captain Cocke (who was last night put into great
trouble upon his boy's being rather worse than better, upon which he
removed him out of his house to his stable), who told me that to my
comfort his boy was now as well as ever he was in his life. So I up,
and after being trimmed, the first time I have been touched by a barber
these twelvemonths, I think, and more, went to Sir J. Minnes's, where
I find all out of order still, they having not seen one another till
by and by Sir J. Minnes and Sir W. Batten met, to go into my Lord
Bruncker's coach, and so we four to Lambeth, and thence to the Duke of
Albemarle, to inform him what we have done as to the fleete, which is
very little, and to receive his direction. But, Lord! what a sad time it
is to see no boats upon the River; and grass grows all up and down White
Hall court, and nobody but poor wretches in the streets! And, which is
worst of all, the Duke showed us the number of the plague this week,
brought in the last night from the Lord Mayor; that it is encreased
about 600 more than the last, which is quite contrary to all our hopes
and expectations, from the coldness of the late season. For the whole
general number is 8,297, and of them the plague 7,165; which is more in
the whole by above 50, than the biggest Bill yet; which is very grievous
to us all. I find here a design in my Lord Bruncker and Captain Cocke to
have had my Lord Bruncker chosen as one of us to have been sent aboard
one of the East Indiamen, and Captain Cocke as a merchant to be joined
with him, and Sir J. Minnes for the other, and Sir G. Smith to be joined
with him. But I did order it so that my Lord Bruncker and Sir J. Minnes
were ordered, but I did stop the merchants to be added, which would have
been a most pernicious thing to the King I am sure. In this I did, I
think, a very good office, though I cannot acquit myself from some envy
of mine in the business to have the profitable business done by another
hand while I lay wholly imployed in the trouble of the office. Thence
back again by my Lord's coach to my Lord Bruncker's house, where I find
my Lady Batten, who is become very great with Mrs. Williams (my Lord
Bruncker's whore), and there we dined and were mighty merry. After
dinner I to the office there to write letters, to