r. Thence by water to the Duke of Albemarle's: all
the way fires on each side of the Thames, and strange to see in broad
daylight two or three burials upon the Bankeside, one at the very heels of
another: doubtless all of the plague; and yet at least forty or fifty
people going along with every one of them. The Duke mighty pleasant with
me; telling me that he is certainly informed that the Dutch were not come
home upon the 1st instant, and so he hopes our fleete may meet with them,
and here to my great joy I got him to sign bills for the several sums I
have paid on Tangier business by his single letter, and so now I can get
more hands to them. This was a great joy to me: Home to Woolwich late by
water, found wife in bed, and yet late as [it] was to write letters in
order to my rising betimes to go to Povy to-morrow. So to bed, my wife
asking me to-night about a letter of hers I should find, which indeed Mary
did the other day give me as if she had found it in my bed, thinking it
had been mine, brought to her from a man without name owning great
kindness to her and I know not what. But looking it over seriously, and
seeing it bad sense and ill writ, I did believe it to be her brother's and
so had flung it away, but finding her now concerned at it and vexed with
Mary about it, it did trouble me, but I would take no notice of it
to-night, but fell to sleep as if angry.

7th. Up by 5 of the clock, mighty full of fear of an ague, but was
obliged to go, and so by water, wrapping myself up warm, to the Tower, and
there sent for the Weekely Bill, and find 8,252 dead in all, and of them
6,878 of the plague; which is a most dreadfull number, and shows reason to
fear that the plague hath got that hold that it will yet continue among
us. Thence to Brainford, reading "The Villaine," a pretty good play, all
the way. There a coach of Mr. Povy's stood ready for me, and he at his
house ready to come in, and so we together merrily to Swakely, Sir R.
Viner's. A very pleasant place, bought by him of Sir James Harrington's
lady. He took us up and down with great respect, and showed us all his
house and grounds; and it is a place not very moderne in the garden nor
house, but the most uniforme in all that ever I saw; and some things to
excess. Pretty to see over the screene of the hall (put up by Sir J.
Harrington, a Long Parliamentman) the King's head, and my Lord of Essex on
one side, and Fairfax on the other; and upon the other si