8th.  Up, and all the morning at the office.  At noon to the ’Change, expecting to have received from Mr. Houbland, as he promised me, an assignment upon Viner, for my reward for my getting them the going of their two ships to Tangier, but I find myself much disappointed therein, for I spoke with him and he said nothing of it, but looked coldly, through some disturbance he meets with in our business through Colonell Norwood’s pressing them to carry more goods than will leave room for some of their own.  But I shall ease them.  Thence to Captain Cocke’s, where Mr. Williamson, Wren, Boldell and Madam Williams, and by and by Lord Bruncker, he having been with the King and Duke upon the water to-day, to see Greenwich house, and the yacht Castle is building of, and much good discourse.  So to White Hall to see my Lord Sandwich, and then home to my business till night, and then to bed.

9th.  Up, and betimes to Sir Philip Warwicke, who was glad to see me, and very kind.  Thence to Colonell Norwood’s lodgings, and there set about Houblons’ business about their ships.  Thence to Westminster, to the Exchequer, about my Tangier business to get orders for tallys, and so to the Hall, where the first day of the Terme, and the Hall very full of people, and much more than was expected, considering the plague that hath been.  Thence to the ’Change, and to the Sun behind it to dinner with the Lieutenant of the Tower, Colonell Norwood and others, where strange pleasure they seem to take in their wine and meate, and discourse of it with the curiosity and joy that methinks was below men of worthe.  Thence home, and there very much angry with my people till I had put all things in good forwardnesse about my supper for the Houblons, but that being done I was in good humour again, and all things in good order.  Anon the five brothers Houblons come and Mr. Hill, and a very good supper we had, and good company and discourse, with great pleasure.  My new plate sets off my cupboard very nobly.  Here they were till about eleven at night with great pleasure, and a fine sight it is to see these five brothers thus loving one to another, and all industrious merchants.  Our subject was principally Mr. Hill’s going for them to Portugall, which was the occasion of this entertainment.  They gone, we to bed.

10th.  Up, and to the office.  At noon, full of business, to dinner.  This day comes first Sir Thomas Harvy after the plague, having been out of towne all this while.  He was coldly received by us, and he went away before we rose also, to make himself appear yet a man less necessary.  After dinner, being full of care and multitude of business, I took coach and my wife with me.  I set her down at her mother’s (having first called at my Lord Treasurer’s and there spoke with Sir Ph.  Warwicke), and I to the Exchequer about Tangier orders, and so to the Swan and there staid a little, and so by coach took up my wife, and at the old Exchange bought a muffe, and so home and late at my letters, and so to supper and to bed, being now-a-days, for these four or five months, mightily troubled with my snoring in my sleep, and know not how to remedy it.