here to
stay till a smith could be fetched, which was above an hour, and then it
costing me 6s. to mend. Away round by the wall and Cow Lane,

[Cow Lane, West Smithfield (now named King Street), was famous for
its coachmakers.]

for fear it should break again; and in pain about the coach all the way.
But to ease myself therein Betty Michell did sit at the same end with me .
. . . Being very much pleased with this, we at last come home, and so
to supper, and then sent them by boat home, and we to bed. When I come
home I went to Sir W. Batten's, and there I hear more ill newes still:
that all our New England fleete, which went out lately, are put back a
third time by foul weather, and dispersed, some to one port and some to
another; and their convoys also to Plymouth; and whether any of them be
lost or not, we do not know. This, added to all the rest, do lay us flat
in our hopes and courages, every body prophesying destruction to the
nation.

3rd. Up, and, among a great many people that come to speak with me, one
was my Lord Peterborough's gentleman, who comes to me to dun me to get
some money advanced for my Lord; and I demanding what newes, he tells me
that at Court they begin to fear the business of Scotland more and more;
and that the Duke of York intends to go to the North to raise an army, and
that the King would have some of the Nobility and others to go and assist;
but they were so served the last year, among others his Lord, in raising
forces at their own charge, for fear of the French invading us, that they
will not be got out now, without money advanced to them by the King, and
this is like to be the King's case for certain, if ever he comes to have
need of any army. He and others gone, I by water to Westminster, and
there to the Exchequer, and put my tallys in a way of doing for the last
quarter. But my not following it the last week has occasioned the clerks
some trouble, which I am sorry for, and they are mad at. Thence at noon
home, and there find Kate Joyce, who dined with me: Her husband and she
are weary of their new life of being an Innkeeper, and will leave it, and
would fain get some office; but I know none the foole is fit for, but
would be glad to help them, if I could, though they have enough to live
on, God be thanked! though their loss hath been to the value of L3000 W.
Joyce now has all the trade, she says, the trade being come to that end of
the towne. She dined with me,