upon his tallys. That being done, and some musique and other diversions,
at last away goes my Lord and Lady, and I sent my wife to visit Mrs.
Pierce, and so I to my office, where wrote important letters to the Court,
and at night (Creed having clownishly left my wife), I to Mrs. Pierces and
brought her and Mrs. Pierce to the King's Head and there spent a piece
upon a supper for her and mighty merry and pretty discourse, she being as
pretty as ever, most of our mirth being upon "my Cozen" (meaning my Lord
Bruncker's ugly mistress, whom he calls cozen), and to my trouble she
tells me that the fine Mrs. Middleton is noted for carrying about her body
a continued sour base smell, that is very offensive, especially if she be
a little hot. Here some bad musique to close the night and so away and
all of us saw Mrs. Belle Pierce (as pretty as ever she was almost) home,
and so walked to Will's lodging where I used to lie, and there made shift
for a bed for Mercer, and mighty pleasantly to bed. This night I hear
that of our two watermen that use to carry our letters, and were well on
Saturday last, one is dead, and the other dying sick of the plague. The
plague, though decreasing elsewhere, yet being greater about the Tower and
thereabouts.

4th. Up and to my office, where Mr. Andrews comes, and reckoning with him
I get L64 of him. By and by comes Mr. Gawden, and reckoning with him he
gives me L60 in his account, which is a great mercy to me. Then both of
them met and discoursed the business of the first man's resigning and the
other's taking up the business of the victualling of Tangier, and I do not
think that I shall be able to do as well under Mr. Gawden as under these
men, or within a little as to profit and less care upon me. Thence to the
King's Head to dinner, where we three and Creed and my wife and her woman
dined mighty merry and sat long talking, and so in the afternoon broke up,
and I led my wife to our lodging again, and I to the office where did much
business, and so to my wife. This night comes Sir George Smith to see me