meeting with the great body now gone out of Holland, almost 100 sayle of
men of warr. Every body is at a great losse and nobody can tell. Thence
among the goldsmiths to get some money, and so home, settling some new
money matters, and to my great joy have got home L500 more of the money
due to me, and got some more money to help Andrews first advanced. This
day I had the ill news from Dagenhams, that my poor lord of Hinchingbroke
his indisposition is turned to the small-pox. Poor gentleman! that he
should be come from France so soon to fall sick, and of that disease too,
when he should be gone to see a fine lady, his mistresse. I am most
heartily sorry for it. So late setting papers to rights, and so home to
bed.

17th. Up and to the office, where we sat all the morning, and at noon
dined together upon some victuals I had prepared at Sir W. Batten's upon
the King's charge, and after dinner, I having dispatched some business and
set things in order at home, we down to the water and by boat to Greenwich
to the Bezan yacht, where Sir W. Batten, Sir J. Minnes, my Lord Bruncker
and myself, with some servants (among others Mr. Carcasse, my Lord's
clerk, a very civil gentleman), embarked in the yacht and down we went
most pleasantly, and noble discourse I had with my Lord Bruneker, who is a
most excellent person. Short of Gravesend it grew calme, and so we come
to an anchor, and to supper mighty merry, and after it, being moonshine,
we out of the cabbin to laugh and talk, and then, as we grew sleepy, went
in and upon velvet cushions of the King's that belong to the yacht fell to
sleep, which we all did pretty well till 3 or 4 of the clock, having risen
in the night to look for a new comet which is said to have lately shone,
but we could see no such thing.

18th. Up about 5 o'clock and dressed ourselves, and to sayle again down
to the Soveraigne at the buoy of the Nore, a noble ship, now rigged and