27th.  Up and to the office, where all the morning.  At noon dined by chance at my Lady Batten’s, and they sent for my wife, and there was my Lady Pen and Pegg.  Very merry, and so I to my office again, where till 12 o’clock at night, and so home to supper and to bed.

28th.  Sir J. Minnes carried me and my wife to White Hall, and thence his coach along with my wife where she would.  There after attending the Duke to discourse of the navy.  We did not kiss his hand, nor do I think, for all their pretence, of going away to-morrow.  Yet I believe they will not go for good and all, but I did take my leave of Sir William Coventry, who, it seems, was knighted and sworn a Privy-Counsellor two days since; who with his old kindness treated me, and I believe I shall ever find [him] a noble friend.  Thence by water to Blackfriars, and so to Paul’s churchyard and bespoke severall books, and so home and there dined, my man William giving me a lobster sent him by my old maid Sarah.  This morning I met with Sir G. Carteret, who tells me how all things proceed between my Lord Sandwich and himself to full content, and both sides depend upon having the match finished presently, and professed great kindnesse to me, and said that now we were something akin.  I am mightily, both with respect to myself and much more of my Lord’s family, glad of this alliance.  After dinner to White Hall, thinking to speak with my Lord Ashly, but failed, and I whiled away some time in Westminster Hall against he did come, in my way observing several plague houses in King’s Street and [near] the Palace.  Here I hear Mrs. Martin is gone out of town, and that her husband, an idle fellow, is since come out of France, as he pretends, but I believe not that he hath been.  I was fearful of going to any house, but I did to the Swan, and thence to White Hall, giving the waterman a shilling, because a young fellow and belonging to the Plymouth.  Thence by coach to several places, and so home, and all the evening with Sir J. Minnes and all the women of the house (excepting my Lady Batten) late in the garden chatting.  At 12 o’clock home to supper and to bed.  My Lord Sandwich is gone towards the sea to-day, it being a sudden resolution, I having taken no leave of him.

29th.  Up and by water to White Hall, where the Court full of waggons and people ready to go out of towne.  To the Harp and Ball, and there drank and talked with Mary, she telling me in discourse that she lived lately at my neighbour’s, Mr. Knightly, which made me forbear further discourse.  This end of the towne every day grows very bad of the plague.  The Mortality Bill is come to 267;