r, Mr. Coventry being there, and among other things there met with
a printed copy of the King's commission for the repair of Paul's, which
is very large, and large power for collecting money, and recovering of
all people that had bought or sold formerly any thing belonging to the
Church. And here I find my Lord Mayor of the City set in order before
the Archbishopp or any nobleman, though all the greatest officers of
state are there. But yet I do not hear by my Lord Berkeley, who is
one of them, that any thing is like to come of it. Thence back again
homewards, and Sir W. Batten and I to the Coffee-house, but no newes,
only the plague is very hot still, and encreases among the Dutch. Home
to dinner, and after dinner walked forth, and do what I could I could
not keep myself from going through Fleet Lane, but had the sense of
safety and honour not to go in, and the rather being a holiday I feared
I might meet with some people that might know me. Thence to Charing
Cross, and there called at Unthanke's to see what I owed, but found
nothing, and here being a couple of pretty ladies, lodgers in the
kitchen, I staid a little there. Thence to my barber Gervas, who this
day buries his child, which it seems was born without a passage behind,
so that it never voided any thing in the week or fortnight that it has
been born. Thence to Mr. Reeves, it coming just now in my head to buy a
microscope, but he was not within, so I walked all round that end of the
town among the loathsome people and houses, but, God be thanked! had no
desire to visit any of them. So home, where I met Mr. Lanyon, who tells
me Mr. Alsop is past hopes, which will mightily disappoint me in my
hopes there, and yet it may be not. I shall think whether it will be
safe for me to venture myself or no, and come in as an adventurer. He
gone, Mr. Cole (my old Jack Cole) comes to see and speak with me, and
his errand in short to tell me that he is giving over his trade; he can
do no good in it, and will turn what he has into money and go to sea,
his father being dead and leaving him little, if any thing. This I was
sorry to hear, he being a man of good parts, but, I fear, debauched. I
promised him all the friendship I can do him, which will end in little,
though I truly mean it, and so I made him stay with me till 11 at night,
talking of old school stories, and very pleasing ones, and truly I find
that we did spend our time and thoughts then otherwise than I think boys
do