heard was 2,020 of the plague, and 3,000 and odd of
all diseases; but methought it was a sad question
to be so often asked me. Coming to Dagenhams,
I there met our company coming out of the house, having
staid as long as they could for me; so I let them go
a little before, and went and took leave of my Lady
Sandwich, good woman, who seems very sensible of my
service in this late business, and having her directions
in some things, among others, to get Sir G. Carteret
and my Lord to settle the portion, and what Sir G.
Carteret is to settle, into land, soon as may be,
she not liking that it should lie long undone, for
fear of death on either side. So took leave of
her, and then down to the buttery, and eat a piece
of cold venison pie, and drank and took some bread
and cheese in my hand; and so mounted after them, Mr.
Marr very kindly staying to lead me the way.
By and by met my Lord Crew returning, after having
accompanied them a little way, and so after them, Mr.
Marr telling me by the way how a mayde servant of
Mr. John Wright’s (who lives thereabouts) falling
sick of the plague, she was removed to an out-house,
and a nurse appointed to look to her; who, being once
absent, the mayde got out of the house at the window,
and run away. The nurse coming and knocking,
and having no answer, believed she was dead, and went
and told Mr. Wright so; who and his lady were in great
strait what to do to get her buried. At last
resolved to go to Burntwood hard by, being in the parish,
and there get people to do it. But they would
not; so he went home full of trouble, and in the way
met the wench walking over the common, which frighted
him worse than before; and was forced to send people
to take her, which he did; and they got one of the
pest coaches and put her into it to carry her to a
pest house. And passing in a narrow lane, Sir
Anthony Browne, with his brother and some friends
in the coach, met this coach with the curtains drawn
close. The brother being a young man, and believing
there might be some lady in it that would not be seen,
and the way being narrow, he thrust his head out of
his own into her coach, and to look, and there saw
somebody look very ill, and in a sick dress, and stunk
mightily; which the coachman also cried out upon.
And presently they come up to some people that stood
looking after it, and told our gallants that it was
a mayde of Mr. Wright’s carried away sick of
the plague; which put the young gentleman into a fright
had almost cost him his life, but is now well again.
I, overtaking our young people, ’light, and
into the coach to them, where mighty merry all the
way; and anon come to the Blockehouse, over against
Gravesend, where we staid a great while, in a little
drinking-house. Sent back our coaches to Dagenhams.
I, by and by, by boat to Gravesend, where no newes
of Sir G. Carteret come yet; so back again, and fetched
them all over, but the two saddle-horses that were
to go with us, which could not be brought over in