interdict," wherein I laid twenty to one against him which he would not
agree with me, though I know myself in the right as to the sense of the
word, and almost angry we were, and were an houre and more upon the
dispute, till at last broke up not satisfied, and so home in their coach
and so to bed. H. Russell did this day deliver my 20s. to my wife's
father or mother, but has not yet told us how they do.

14th. Up, and walked to Greenwich, and there fitted myself in several
businesses to go to London, where I have not been now a pretty while. But
before I went from the office newes is brought by word of mouth that
letters are now just now brought from the fleete of our taking a great
many more of the Dutch fleete, in which I did never more plainly see my
command of my temper in my not admitting myself to receive any kind of joy
from it till I had heard the certainty of it, and therefore went by water
directly to the Duke of Albemarle, where I find a letter of the Lath from
Solebay, from my Lord Sandwich, of the fleete's meeting with about
eighteen more of the Dutch fleete, and his taking of most of them; and the
messenger says, they had taken three after the letter was wrote and
sealed; which being twenty-one, and the fourteen took the other day, is
forty-five sail; some of which are good, and others rich ships, which is
so great a cause of joy in us all that my Lord and everybody is highly
joyed thereat. And having taken a copy of my Lord's letter, I away back
again to the Beare at the Bridge foot, being full of wind and out of
order, and there called for a biscuit and a piece of cheese and gill of
sacke, being forced to walk over the Bridge, toward the 'Change, and the
plague being all thereabouts. Here my news was highly welcome, and I did
wonder to see the 'Change so full, I believe 200 people; but not a man or
merchant of any fashion, but plain men all. And Lord! to see how I did
endeavour all I could to talk with as few as I could, there being now no
observation of shutting up of houses infected, that to be sure we do