I think I have L1800 and more in the house, and, blessed
be God! no money out but what I can very well command
and that but very little, which is much the best posture
I ever was in in my life, both as to the quantity
and the certainty I have of the money I am worth;
having most of it in my own hand. But then this
is a trouble to me what to do with it, being myself
this day going to be wholly at Woolwich; but for the
present I am resolved to venture it in an iron chest,
at least for a while. In the afternoon I sent
down my boy to Woolwich with some things before me,
in order to my lying there for good and all, and so
I followed him. Just now comes newes that the
fleete is gone, or going this day, out again, for
which God be praised! and my Lord Sandwich hath done
himself great right in it, in getting so soon out again.
I pray God, he may meet the enemy. Towards
the evening, just as I was fitting myself, comes W.
Hewer and shows me a letter which Mercer had wrote
to her mother about a great difference between my
wife and her yesterday, and that my wife will have
her go away presently. This, together with my
natural jealousy that some bad thing or other may
be in the way, did trouble me exceedingly, so as I
was in a doubt whether to go thither or no, but having
fitted myself and my things I did go, and by night
got thither, where I met my wife walking to the waterside
with her paynter, Mr. Browne, and her mayds.
There I met Commissioner Pett, and my Lord Brunker,
and the lady at his house had been thereto-day, to
see her. Commissioner Pett staid a very little
while, and so I to supper with my wife and Mr. Shelden,
and so to bed with great pleasure.
29th. In the morning waking, among other discourse
my wife begun to tell me the difference between her
and Mercer, and that it was only from restraining
her to gad abroad to some Frenchmen that were in the
town, which I do not wholly yet in part believe, and
for my quiet would not enquire into it. So rose
and dressed myself, and away by land walking a good
way, then remembered that I had promised Commissioner
Pett to go with him in his coach, and therefore I
went back again to him, and so by his coach to Greenwich,
and called at Sir Theophilus Biddulph’s, a sober,
discreet man, to discourse of the preventing of the
plague in Greenwich, and Woolwich, and Deptford, where
in every place it begins to grow very great.
We appointed another meeting, and so walked together
to Greenwich and there parted, and Pett and I to the
office, where all the morning, and after office done
I to Sir J. Minnes and dined with him, and thence to
Deptford thinking to have seen Bagwell, but did not,
and so straight to Redriffe, and home, and late at
my business to dispatch away letters, and then home
to bed, which I did not intend, but to have staid for
altogether at Woolwich, but I made a shift for a bed
for Tom, whose bed is gone to Woolwich, and so to
bed.