erest upon his tallys. That being
done, and some musique and other diversions, at last away goes my
Lord and Lady, and I sent my wife to visit Mrs. Pierce, and so I to my
office, where wrote important letters to the Court, and at night (Creed
having clownishly left my wife), I to Mrs. Pierces and brought her and
Mrs. Pierce to the King's Head and there spent a piece upon a supper for
her and mighty merry and pretty discourse, she being as pretty as ever,
most of our mirth being upon "my Cozen" (meaning my Lord Bruncker's ugly
mistress, whom he calls cozen), and to my trouble she tells me that the
fine Mrs. Middleton is noted for carrying about her body a continued
sour base smell, that is very offensive, especially if she be a little
hot. Here some bad musique to close the night and so away and all of us
saw Mrs. Belle Pierce (as pretty as ever she was almost) home, and so
walked to Will's lodging where I used to lie, and there made shift for a
bed for Mercer, and mighty pleasantly to bed. This night I hear that
of our two watermen that use to carry our letters, and were well on
Saturday last, one is dead, and the other dying sick of the plague. The
plague, though decreasing elsewhere, yet being greater about the Tower
and thereabouts.

4th. Up and to my office, where Mr. Andrews comes, and reckoning with
him I get L64 of him. By and by comes Mr. Gawden, and reckoning with him
he gives me L60 in his account, which is a great mercy to me. Then both
of them met and discoursed the business of the first man's resigning and
the other's taking up the business of the victualling of Tangier, and
I do not think that I shall be able to do as well under Mr. Gawden as
under these men, or within a little as to profit and less care upon me.
Thence to the King's Head to dinner, where we three and Creed and my
wife and her woman dined mighty merry and sat long talking, and so in
the afternoon broke up, and I led my wife to our lodging again, and I to
the office where did much business, and so to my wife. This night comes
Sir George Smith to see me at the office, and tells me how the plague is
decreased this week 740, for which God be praised! but that it encreases
at our end of the town still, and says how all the towne is full of
Captain Cocke's being in some ill condition about prize-goods, his goods
being taken from him, and I know not what. But though this troubles me
to have it said, and that it is likely to be a business in Parlia