Diary, August 1665 | Page 5

appointed to look
to her; who, being once absent, the mayde got out of the house at the
window, and run away. The nurse coming and knocking, and having no
answer, believed she was dead, and went and told Mr. Wright so; who
and his lady were in great strait what to do to get her buried. At last
resolved to go to Burntwood hard by, being in the parish, and there get
people to do it. But they would not; so he went home full of trouble,
and in the way met the wench walking over the common, which
frighted him worse than before; and was forced to send people to take
her, which he did; and they got one of the pest coaches and put her into
it to carry her to a pest house. And passing in a narrow lane, Sir
Anthony Browne, with his brother and some friends in the coach, met
this coach with the curtains drawn close. The brother being a young
man, and believing there might be some lady in it that would not be
seen, and the way being narrow, he thrust his head out of his own into
her coach, and to look, and there saw somebody look very ill, and in a
sick dress, and stunk mightily; which the coachman also cried out upon.

And presently they come up to some people that stood looking after it,
and told our gallants that it was a mayde of Mr. Wright's carried away
sick of the plague; which put the young gentleman into a fright had
almost cost him his life, but is now well again. I, overtaking our young
people, 'light, and into the coach to them, where mighty merry all the
way; and anon come to the Blockehouse, over against Gravesend,
where we staid a great while, in a little drinking-house. Sent back our
coaches to Dagenhams. I, by and by, by boat to Gravesend, where no
newes of Sir G. Carteret come yet; so back again, and fetched them all
over, but the two saddle-horses that were to go with us, which could
not be brought over in the horseboat, the wind and tide being against us,
without towing; so we had some difference with some watermen, who
would not tow them over under 20s., whereupon I swore to send one of
them to sea and will do it. Anon some others come to me and did it for
10s. By and by comes Sir G. Carteret, and so we set out for Chatham:
in my way overtaking some company, wherein was a lady, very pretty,
riding singly, her husband in company with her. We fell into talke, and
I read a copy of verses which her husband showed me, and he
discommended, but the lady commended: and I read them, so as to
make the husband turn to commend them. By and by he and I fell into
acquaintance, having known me formerly at the Exchequer. His name
is Nokes, over against Bow Church. He was servant to Alderman
Dashwood. We promised to meet, if ever we come both to London
again; and, at parting, I had a fair salute on horseback, in Rochester
streets, of the lady, and so parted. Come to Chatham mighty merry, and
anon to supper, it being near 9 o'clock ere we come thither. My Lady
Carteret come thither in a coach, by herself, before us. Great mind they
have to buy a little 'hacquenee' that I rode on from Greenwich, for a
woman's horse. Mighty merry, and after supper, all being withdrawn,
Sir G. Carteret did take an opportunity to speak with much value and
kindness to me, which is of great joy to me. So anon to bed. Mr.
Brisband and I together to my content.

4th. Up at five o'clock, and by six walked out alone, with my Lady
Slanning, to the Docke Yard, where walked up and down, and so to Mr.
Pett's, who led us into his garden, and there the lady, the best humoured

woman in the world, and a devout woman (I having spied her on her
knees half an houre this morning in her chamber), clambered up to the
top of the banquetting-house to gather nuts, and mighty merry, and so
walked back again through the new rope house, which is very usefull;
and so to the Hill-house to breakfast and mighty merry. Then they took
coach, and Sir G. Carteret kissed me himself heartily, and my Lady
several times, with great kindnesse, and then the young ladies, and so
with much joy, bade "God be with you!" and an end I think it will be to
my mirthe for a great while, it having been the passage of my whole
life the most pleasing for