me, and will make me mind my business the better, I hope in God; but what troubles me more is, that I do omit to write, as I should do, to Mr. Coventry, which I must not do, though this night I minded it so little as to sleep in the middle of my letter to him, and committed forty blotts and blurrs in my letter to him, but of this I hope never more to be guilty, if I have not already given him sufficient offence.  So, late home, and to bed.

30th (Lord’s day).  Up and to my office alone all the morning, making up my monthly accounts, which though it hath been very intricate, and very great disbursements and receipts and odd reckonings, yet I differed not from the truth; viz.:  between my first computing what my profit ought to be and then what my cash and debts do really make me worth, not above 10s., which is very much, and I do much value myself upon the account, and herein I with great joy find myself to have gained this month above L100 clear, and in the whole to be worth above L1400, the greatest sum I ever yet was worth.  Thence home to dinner, and there find poor Mr. Spong walking at my door, where he had knocked, and being told I was at the office staid modestly there walking because of disturbing me, which methinks was one of the most modest acts (of a man that hath no need of being so to me) that ever I knew in my life.  He dined with me, and then after dinner to my closet, where abundance of mighty pretty discourse, wherein, in a word, I find him the man of the world that hath of his own ingenuity obtained the most in most things, being withall no scholler.  He gone, I took boat and down to Woolwich and Deptford, and made it late home, and so to supper and to bed.  Thus I end this month in great content as to my estate and gettings:  in much trouble as to the pains I have taken, and the rubs I expect yet to meet with, about the business of Tangier.  The fleete, with about 106 ships upon the coast of Holland, in sight of the Dutch, within the Texel.  Great fears of the sickenesse here in the City, it being said that two or three houses are already shut up.  God preserve as all!

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THE DIARY OF SAMUEL PEPYS M.A.  F.R.S.

CLERK OF THE ACTS AND SECRETARY TO THE ADMIRALTY

Transcribed from the shorthand manuscript in the Pepysian library
Magdalene College Cambridge by the Rev.  MYNORS bright M.A.  Late fellow
and President of the College