to salute her,
as I desired, but was glad to see her and a very pretty wench she
is. Thence back, landing at the Old Swan and taking boat again at
Billingsgate, and setting ashore we home and I to the office.... and
there wrote my letters, and so home to supper and to bed, it being a
great frost. Newes is come to-day of our Sounde fleete being come, but I
do not know what Sir W. Warren hath insured.

17th (Lord's day). After being trimmed word brought me that Cutler's
coach is, by appointment, come to the Isle of Doggs for me, and so I
over the water; and in his coach to Hackney, a very fine, cold, clear,
frosty day. At his house I find him with a plain little dinner, good
wine, and welcome. He is still a prating man; and the more I know him,
the less I find in him. A pretty house he hath here indeed, of his owne
building. His old mother was an object at dinner that made me not like
it; and, after dinner, to visit his sicke wife I did not also take much
joy in, but very friendly he is to me, not for any kindnesse I think he
hath to any man, but thinking me, I perceive, a man whose friendship
is to be looked after. After dinner back again and to Deptford to Mr.
Evelyn's, who was not within, but I had appointed my cozen Thos. Pepys
of Hatcham to meet me there, to discourse about getting his L1000 of my
Lord Sandwich, having now an opportunity of my having above that sum in
my hands of his. I found this a dull fellow still in all his discourse,
but in this he is ready enough to embrace what I counsel him to, which
is, to write importunately to my Lord and me about it and I will look
after it. I do again and again declare myself a man unfit to be security
for such a sum. He walked with me as far as Deptford upper towne, being
mighty respectfull to me, and there parted, he telling me that this
towne is still very bad of the plague. I walked to Greenwich first, to
make a short visit to my Lord Bruncker, and next to Mrs. Penington and
spent all the evening with her with the same freedom I used to have and
very pleasant company. With her till one of the clock in the morning and
past, and so to my lodging to bed, and

18th. Betimes, up, it being a fine frost, and walked it to Redriffe,
calling and drinking at Half-way house, thinking, indeed, to have
overtaken some of the people of our house, the women, who were to walk
the same walke, but I could not. So to London, and there visited my
wife, and was a little displeased to fin