o us, and we expected
no less; and swears it will, and will easily, be the ruine of him and his
kingdom, if we fall out with him, as we must in honour do; but that all
that can be, must be to get the fleete out again to intercept De Witt, who
certainly will be coming home with the East India ships, he being gone
thither. He being gone, I up and with Fenn, being ready to walk forth to
see the place; and I find it to be a very noble seat in a noble forest,
with the noblest prospect towards Windsor, and round about over many
countys, that can be desired; but otherwise a very melancholy place, and
little variety save only trees. I had thoughts of going home by water,
and of seeing Windsor Chappell and Castle, but finding at my coming in
that Sir G. Carteret did prevent me in speaking for my sudden return to
look after business, I did presently eat a bit off the spit about 10
o'clock, and so took horse for Stanes, and thence to Brainford to Mr.
Povy's, the weather being very pleasant to ride in. Mr. Povy not being at
home I lost my labour, only eat and drank there with his lady, and told my
bad newes, and hear the plague is round about them there. So away to
Brainford; and there at the inn that goes down to the water-side, I 'light
and paid off my post-horses, and so slipped on my shoes, and laid my
things by, the tide not serving, and to church, where a dull sermon, and
many Londoners. After church to my inn, and eat and drank, and so about
seven o'clock by water, and got between nine and ten to Queenhive, very
dark. And I could not get my waterman to go elsewhere for fear of the
plague. Thence with a lanthorn, in great fear of meeting of dead corpses,
carried to be buried; but, blessed be God, met none, but did see now and
then a linke (which is the mark of them) at a distance. So got safe home
about 10 o'clock, my people not all abed, and after supper I weary to bed.

21st. Called up, by message from Lord Bruncker and the rest of my
fellows, that they will meet me at the Duke of Albemarle's this morning;
so I up, and weary, however, got thither before them, and spoke with my
Lord, and with him and other gentlemen to walk in the Parke, where, I
perceive, he spends much of his time, having no whither else to go; and
here I hear him speake of some Presbyter people that he caused to be
apprehended yesterday, at a private meeting in Covent Garden, which he
would have released upon paying L5 per man to the poor, but it was