worth notice, that “dragge” was applied to a grain in the eastern counties, though not exclusively there, appearing to denote mixed grain.  Bishop Kennett tells us that “dredge mault is mault made up of oats, mixed with barley, of which they make an excellent, freshe, quiete sort of drinke, in Staffordshire.”  The dredger is still commonly used in our kitchen.—­B.]

for my cupboard of plate, and did call for my silver chafing dishes, but they are sent home, and the man would not be paid for them, saying that he was paid for them already, and with much ado got him to tell me by Mr. Wayth, but I would not accept of that, but will send him his money, not knowing any courtesy I have yet done him to deserve it.  So home, and with my wife looked over our plate, and picked out L40 worth, I believe, to change for more usefull plate, to our great content, and then we shall have a very handsome cupboard of plate.  So to dinner, and then to the office, where we had a meeting extraordinary, about stating to the Duke the present debts of the Navy, for which ready money must be had, and that being done, I to my business, where late, and then home to supper, and to bed.

3rd.  Up, and to the office very busy till 3 o’clock, and then home, all of us, for half an hour to dinner, and to it again till eight at night, stating our wants of money for the Duke, but could not finish it.  So broke up, and I to my office, then about letters and other businesses very late, and so home to supper, weary with business, and to bed.

4th.  Lord’s day; and my wife and I the first time together at church since the plague, and now only because of Mr. Mills his coming home to preach his first sermon; expecting a great excuse for his leaving the parish before any body went, and now staying till all are come home; but he made but a very poor and short excuse, and a bad sermon.  It was a frost, and had snowed last night, which covered the graves in the churchyard, so as I was the less afeard for going through.  Here I had the content to see my noble Mrs. Lethulier, and so home to dinner, and all the afternoon at my Journall till supper, it being a long while behindhand.  At supper my wife tells me that W. Joyce has been with her this evening, the first time since the plague, and tells her my aunt James is lately dead of the stone, and what she had hath given to his and his brother’s wife and my cozen Sarah.  So after supper to work again, and late to bed.

5th.  Up, and with Sir W. Batten (at whose lodgings calling for him, I saw his Lady the first time since her coming to towne since the plague, having absented myself designedly to shew some discontent, and that I am not at all the more suppliant because of my Lord Sandwich’s fall), to my Lord Bruncker’s, to see whether he goes to the Duke’s this morning or no.  But it is put off, and so we parted.  My Lord invited me to dinner to-day to dine with Sir W. Batten and his Lady there, who were invited