This　he　tells　as　a　most　known　and　certain　truth。
  25th。　　Found　ourselves　come　to　the　fleet；　and　so　aboard　the　Prince；　and　there；　after　a　good　while　in　discourse；　we　did　agree　a　bargain　of　5000l。　for　my　Lord　Sandwich　for　silk；　cinnamon；　nutmegs；　and　indigo。　　And　I　was　near　signing　to　an　undertaking　for　the　payment　of　the　whole　sum：　　but　I　did　by　chance　escape　it；　having　since；　upon　second　thoughts；　great　cause　to　be　glad　of　it；　reflecting　upon　the　craft　and　not　good　condition；　it　may　be　of；　Captain　Cocke。
  27th。　　To　Captain　Cocke's；　and　（he　not　yet　come　from　town）　to　Mr。　Evelyn；　where　much　company；　and　thence　in　his　coach　with　him　to　the　Duke　of　Albemarle　by　Lambeth；　who　was　in　a　mighty　pleasant　humour；　and　tells　us　that　the　Dutch　do　stay　abroad；　and　our　fleet　must　go　out　again；　or　be　ready　to　do　so。　　Here　we　got　several　things　ordered　as　we　desired　for　the　relief　of　the　prisoners；　and　sick　and　wounded　men。　　Here　I　saw　this　week's　Bill　of　Mortality；　wherein；　blessed　be　God！　　there　is　above　1800　decrease；　being　the　first　considerable　decrease　we　have　had。　　Most　excellent　discourse　with　Mr。　Evelyn　touching　all　manner　of　learning；　wherein　I　find　him　a　very　fine　gentleman；　and　particularly　of　paynting；　in　which　he　tells　me　the　beautifull　Mrs。　Middleton　is　rare；　and　his　own　wife　do　brave　things。
  29th。　　Sir　Martin　Noell　＇He　had　been　a　Farmer　of　the　Excise　and　Customs　　before　the　Restoration。　　The　messenger　described　in　Hudibras；　Part　III。　Canto　II。　1407；　as　disturbing　the　Cabal　with　the　account　of　the　mobs　burning　Rumps；　is　said　to　have　keen　intended　for　Sir　Martin　Noell。＇　　is　this　day　dead　of　the　plague　in　London。
  October　1；　1665。　　Embarked　on　board　the　Bezan；　and　come　to　the　fleet　about　two　of　the　clock。　　My　Lord　received　us　mighty　kindly；　and　did　discourse　to　us　of　the　Dutch　fleet　being　abroad；　eighty…　five　of　them　still。
  2nd。　　Having　sailed　all　night；　（and　I　do　wonder　how　they　in　the　dark　could　find　the　way）　we　got　by　morning　to　Gillingham；　and　thence　all　walked　to　Chatham；　and　there　with　Commissioner　Pett　viewed　the　Yard；　and　among　other　things；　a　team　of　four　horses　come　close　by　us；　he　being　with　me；　drawing　a　piece　of　timber　that　I　am　confident　one　man　could　easily　have　carried　upon　his　back；　I　made　the　horses　be　taken　away；　and　a　man　or　two　to　take　the　timber　away　with　their　hands。
  3rd。　　Sir　W。　Batten　is　gone　this　day　to　meet　to　adjourne　the　Parliament　to　Oxford。　　This　night　I　hear　that　of　our　two　watermen　that　used　to　carry　our　letters；　and　were　well　on　Saturday　last；　one　is　dead；　and　the　other　dying　sick　of　the　plague；　the　plague；　though　decreasing　elsewhere；　yet　being　greater　about　the　Tower　and　thereabouts。
  4th。　　This　night　comes　Sir　George　Smith　to　see　me　at　the　office；　and　tells　me　how　the　plague　is　decreased　this　week　740；　for　which　God　be　praised！　　but　that　it　encreases　at　our　end　of　the　town　still。
  5th。　　Read　a　book　of　Mr。　Evelyn's　translating　and　sending　me　as　a　present；　about　directions　for　gathering　a　Library；　but　the　book　is　above　my　reach；　but　his　epistle　to　my　Lord　Chancellor　is　a　very　fine　piece。　　Then　to　Mr。　Evelyn's　to　discourse　of　our　confounded　business　of　prisoners；　and　sick　and　wounded　seamen；　wherein　he　and　we　are　so　much　put　out　of　order。　　And　here　he　showed　me　his　gardens；　which　are　for　variety　of　evergreens；　and　hedge　of　holly；　the　finest　things　I　ever　saw　in　my　life。　　Thence　in　his　coach　to　Greenwich；　and　there　to　my　office；　all　the　way　having　fine　discourse　of　trees　and　the　nature　of　vegetables。
  7th。　　Did　business；　though　not　much；　at　the　office；　because　of　the　horrible　crowd　and　lamentable　moan　of　the　poor　seamen　that　lie　starving　in　the　streets　for　lack　of　money。　　Which　do　trouble　and　perplex　me　to　the　heart；　and　more　at　noon　when　we　were　to　go　through　them；　for　then　above　a　whole　hundred　of　them　followed　us；　some　cursing；　some　swearing；　and　some　praying　to　us。　　At　night　come　two　waggons　from　Rochester　with　more　goods　from　Captain　Cocke；　and　in　housing　them　come　two　of　the　Custom…house；　and　did　seize　them：　　but　I　showed　them　my　TRANSIRE。　　However；　after　some　angry　words；　we　locked　them　up；　and　sealed　up　the　key；　and　did　give　it　to　the　constable　to　keep　till　Monday；　and　so　parted。　But；　Lord！　　to　think　how　the　poor　constable　come　to　me　in　the　dark　going　home；　〃Sir；〃　says　he；　〃I　have　the　key；　and　if　you　would　have　me　do　any　service　for　you；　send　for　me　betimes　to…　morrow　morning；　and　I　will　do　what　you　would　have　me。〃　　Whether　the　fellow　do　this　out　of　kindness　or　knavery；　I　cannot　tell；　but　it　is　pretty　to　observe。　　Talking　with　him　in　the　high　way；　come　close　by　the　bearers　with　a　dead　corpse　of　the　plague；　but；　Lord！　to　see　what　custom　is；　that　I　am　come　almost　to　think　nothing　of　it。
  8th。　　To　the　office；　where　ended　my　business　with　the　Captains；　and　I　think　of　twenty…two　ships　we　shall　make　shift　to　get　out　seven。　　（God　help　us！　　men　being　sick；　or　provisions　lacking。）
  9th。　　Called　upon　by　Sir　John　Shaw　to　whom　I　did　give　a　civil　answer　about　our　prize　goods；　that　all　his　dues　as　one　of　the　Farmers　of　the　Customes　are　paid；　and　showed　him　our　TRANSIRE；　with　which　he　was　satisfied；　and　parted。
  11th；　We　met　Mr。　Seamour；　one　of　the　Commissioners　for　Prizes；　and　a　Parliament…man；　and　he　was　mighty　high；　and　had　now　seized　our　goods　on　their　behalf；　and　he　mighty　imperiously　would　have　all　forfeited。　　But　I　could　not　but　think　it　odd　that　a　Parliament…man；　in　a　serious　discourse　before　such　persons　as　we　and　my　Lord　Brouncker；　and　Sir　John　Minnes；　should　quote　Hudibras；　as　being　the　book　I　doubt　he　hath　read　most。
  12th。　　Good　news　this　week　that　there　are　about　600　less　dead　of　the　plague　than　the　last。
  13th。　　Sir　Jer。　Smith；　＇A　distinguished　Naval　Officer；　made　a　Commissioner　of　the　Navy；　vice　Sir　W。　Pen；　1669。＇　　to　see　me　in　his　way　to　Court；　and　a　good　man　he　is；　and　one　that　I　must　keep　fair　with。
  14th。　　My　heart　and　head　to…night　is　full　of　the　Victualling　business；　being　overjoyed　and　proud　at　my　success　in　my　proposal　about　it；　it　being　read　before　the　King；　Duke；　and　the　Caball　with　complete　applause　and　satisfaction。　　This　Sir　G。　Carteret　and　Sir　W。　Coventry　both　writ　me。　　My　own　proper　accounts　are　in　great　disorder；　having　been　neglected　about　a　month。　　This；　and　the　fear　of　the　sickness；　and　providing　for　my　family；　do　fill　my　head　very　full；　besides　the　infinite　business　of　the　office；　and　nobody　here　to　look　after　it　but　myself。
  15th。　　The　Parliament；　it　seems；　have　voted　the　King　1；250；000l。　at　50；000l。　per　month；　tax　for　the　war；　and　voted　to　assist　the　King　against　the　Dutch；　and　all　that　shall　adhere　to　them；　and　thanks　to　be　given　him　for　his　care　of　the　Duke　of　York；　which　last　is　a　very　popular　vote　on　the　Duke's　behalf。　　The　taxes　of　the　last　assessment；　which　should　have　been　in　good　part　gathered；　are　not　yet　laid；　and　that　even　in　part　of　the　City　of　London；　and　the　Chimny…money　comes　almost　to　nothing；　nor　any　thing　else　looked　after。
  16th。　　I　walked　to　the　Tower；　but；　Lord！　　how　empty　the　streets　are　and　melancholy；　so　many　poor　sick　people　in　the　streets　full　of　sores；　and　so　many　sad　stories　overheard　as　I　walk；　every　body　talking　of　this　dead；　and　that　man　sick；　and　so　many　in　this　place；　and　so　many　in　that。　　And　they　tell　me　that；　in　Westminster；　there　is　never　a　physician　and　but　one　apothecary　left；　all　being　dead；　but　that　there　are　great　hopes　of　a　great　decrease　this　week：　　God　send　it！　　At　the　Tower　found　my　Lord　Duke　and　Duchesse　at　dinner；　so　I　sat　down。　　And　much　good　cheer；　the　Lieutenant　and　his　lady；　and　several　officers　with　the　Duke。　But；　Lord！　　to　hear　the　silly　talk　was　there；　would　make　one　mad；　the　Duke　having　none　almost　but　fools　about　him。　　I　have　received　letters　from　my　Lord　Sandwich　today；　speaking　very　high　about　the　prize　goods；　that　he　would　have　us　to　fear　nobody；　but　be　very　confident　in　what　we　have　done；　and　not　to　confess　any　fault　or　doubt　of　what　he　hath　done；　for　the　King　hath　allowed　it；　and　do　now　confirm　it；　and　send　orders；　as　he　says；　for　nothing　to　be　disturbed　that　his　Lordshipp　hath　ordered　therein　as　to　the　division　of　the　goods　to　the　fleet　which　do　comfort　us。　　Much　talk　there　is　of　the　Chancellor's　speech　and　the　King's　at　the　Parliament's　meeting；　which　are　very　well　liked；　and　that　we　shall　certainly；　by　their　speeches；　fall　out　with　France　at　this　time；　together　with　the　Dutch；　which　will　find　us　work。
  26th。　　Sir　Christopher　Mings　and　I　together　by　water　to　the　Tower；　and　I　find　him　a　very　witty　well…spoken　fellow；　and　mighty　free　to　tell　his　parentage；　being　a　shoemaker's　son。　　I　to　the　'Change；　where　I　hear　how　the　French　have　taken　two　and　sunk　one　of　our　merchant…men　in　the　Straights；　and　carried　the　ships　to　Toulon：　　so　that　there　is　no　expectation　but　we　must　fall　out　with　them。　　The　'Change　pretty　full；　and　the　town　begins　to　be　lively　again；　though　the　streets　very　empty；　and　most　shops　shut。
  27th。　　The　Duke　of　Albemarle　proposed　to　me　from　Mr。　Coventry；　that　I　should　be　Surveyor…Generall　of　the　Victualling　business；　which　I　accepted。　　But；　indeed；　the　terms　in　which　Mr。　Coventry　proposes　it　for　me　are　the　most　obliging　that　ever　I　could　expect　from　any　man；　and　more；　he　saying　that　I　am　the　fittest　man　in　England；　and　that　he　is　sure；　if　I　will　undertake；　I　will　per