to buy any hair, for fear of the infection, that it
has been cut off the heads of people dead of the plague. My Lord
Brouncker, Sir J. Minnes, and I up to the vestry at the desire of the
justices of the peace, in order to the doing something for the keeping
of the plague from growing; but, Lord! to consider the madness of the
people of the town, who will, because they are forbid, come in crowds
along with the dead corpses to see them buried.

_September 6._ To London, to pack up more things; and there I saw fires
burning in the streets, as it is through the whole city, by the lord
mayor's order.

_September 14._ To the Duke of Albemarle, where I find a letter from my
Lord Sandwich, of the fleet's meeting with about eighteen more of the
Dutch fleet, and his taking of most of them; and the messenger says they
had taken three after the letter was sealed, which being twenty-one, and
those took the other day, is forty-five sail, some of which are good,
and others rich ships. Having taken a copy of my lord's letter, I away
toward the 'Change, the plague being all thereabouts. Here my news was
highly welcome, and I did wonder to see the 'Change so full--I believe
two hundred people. And, Lord! to see how I did endeavour to talk with
as few as I could, there being now no shutting up of houses infected,
that to be sure we do converse and meet with people that have the plague
upon them. I spent some thought on the occurrences of this day, giving
matter for as much content on one hand and melancholy on another, as any
day in all my life. For the first, the finding of my money and plate all
safe at London; the hearing of this good news after so great a despair
of my lord's doing anything this year; and the decrease of 500 and more,
which is the first decrease we have yet had in the sickness since it
begun. Then, on the other side, my finding that though the bill in
general is abated, yet in the City within the walls it is increased; my
meeting dead corpses, carried close to me at noonday in Fenchurch
Street.

One of my own watermen, that carried me daily, fell sick as soon as he
had landed me on Friday last, when I had been all night upon the water,
and is now dead of the plague. And, lastly, that both my servants, W.
Hewer and Tom Edwards, have lost their fathers of the plague this week,
do put me into great apprehension of melancholy, and with good reason.

_November 15._ The plague, blessed be God! is decreased 400, making t