my mind, for I was weary of the employment, and had had thoughts of giving it over.  I did also give a good step in a business of Mr. Hubland’s, about getting a ship of his to go to Tangier, which during this strict embargo is a great matter, and I shall have a good reward for it, I hope.  Thence by water in the darke down to Deptford, and there find my Lord Bruncker come and gone, having staid long for me.  I back presently to the Crowne taverne behind the Exchange by appointment, and there met the first meeting of Gresham College since the plague.  Dr. Goddard did fill us with talke, in defence of his and his fellow physicians going out of towne in the plague-time; saying that their particular patients were most gone out of towne, and they left at liberty; and a great deal more, &c.  But what, among other fine discourse pleased me most, was Sir G. Ent about Respiration; that it is not to this day known, or concluded on among physicians, nor to be done either, how the action is managed by nature, or for what use it is.  Here late till poor Dr. Merriot was drunk, and so all home, and I to bed.

23rd.  Up and to the office and then to dinner.  After dinner to the office again all the afternoon, and much business with me.  Good newes beyond all expectation of the decrease of the plague, being now but 79, and the whole but 272.  So home with comfort to bed.  A most furious storme all night and morning.

24th.  By agreement my Lord Bruncker called me up, and though it was a very foule, windy, and rainy morning, yet down to the waterside we went, but no boat could go, the storme continued so.  So my Lord to stay till fairer weather carried me into the Tower to Mr. Hore’s and there we staid talking an houre, but at last we found no boats yet could go, so we to the office, where we met upon an occasion extraordinary of examining abuses of our clerkes in taking money for examining of tickets, but nothing done in it.  Thence my Lord and I, the weather being a little fairer, by water to Deptford to Sir G. Carteret’s house, where W. Howe met us, and there we opened the chests, and saw the poor sorry rubys which have caused all this ado to the undoing of W. Howe; though I am not much sorry for it, because of his pride and ill nature.  About 200 of these very small stones, and a cod of muske (which it is strange I was not able to smell) is all we could find; so locked them up again, and my Lord and I, the wind being again very furious, so as we durst not go by water, walked to London quite round the bridge, no boat being able to stirre; and, Lord! what a dirty walk we had, and so strong the wind, that in the fields we many times could not carry our bodies against it, but were driven backwards.  We went through Horsydowne, where I never was since a little boy, that I went to enquire after my father, whom we did give over for lost coming from Holland.  It was dangerous to walk the streets, the bricks and tiles falling from the houses that the whole streets were covered with