deales in L520, I offer to save L172, and yet purpose getting money, to
myself by it. So home and to my office, and business being done home to
supper and so to bed, my head and throat being still out of order
mightily. This night Prior of Brampton came and paid me L40, and I find
this poor painful man is the only thriving and purchasing man in the town
almost. We were told to-day of a Dutch ship of 3 or 400 tons, where all
the men were dead of the plague, and the ship cast ashore at Gottenburgh.

25th (Lord's day). Up, and my throat being yet very sore, and, my head
out of order, we went not to church, but I spent all the morning reading
of "The Madd Lovers," a very good play, and at noon comes Harman and his
wife, whom I sent for to meet the Joyces, but they came not. It seems
Will has got a fall off his horse and broke his face. However, we were as
merry as I could in their company, and we had a good chine of beef, but I
had no taste nor stomach through my cold, and therefore little pleased
with my dinner. It raining, they sat talking with us all the afternoon.
So anon they went away; and then I to read another play, "The Custome of
the Country," which is a very poor one, methinks. Then to supper,
prayers, and bed.

26th. Up pretty well again, but my mouth very scabby, my cold being going
away, so that I was forced to wear a great black patch, but that would not
do much good, but it happens we did not go to the Duke to-day, and so I
staid at home busy all the morning. At noon, after dinner, to the
'Change, and thence home to my office again, where busy, well employed
till 10 at night, and so home to supper and to bed, my mind a little
troubled that I have not of late kept up myself so briske in business; but
mind my ease a little too much and my family upon the coming of Mercer and
Tom. So that I have not kept company, nor appeared very active with Mr.
Coventry, but now I resolve to settle to it again, not that I have idled