28th Colonel Scroope¹⁵⁴ is this day excepted out of the Act of Indemnity, which has been now long in coming out, but it is expected to-morrow I carried home £80 from Privy Seale, by coach.

30th To White Hall, where I met with the Act of Indemnity, (so long talked-of and hoped for,) with the Act of Rate for Pole-money, and for judicial proceedings This the first day that ever I saw my wife wear black patches since we were married.

September 1st All this afternoon sending express to the fleet, to order things against my Lord’s coming, and taking direction of my Lord about some rich furniture to take along with him for the Princesse¹⁵⁵ And talking after this, I hear by Mr Townsend, that there is the greatest preparation against the Prince de Ligne’s coming over from the King of Spain, that ever was in England for their Embassador.

3rd Up and to Mr --, the goldsmith, and there, with much ado, got him to put a gold ring to the jewell, which the King of Sweden did give my Lord out of which my Lord had now taken the King’s picture, and intends to make a George of it About noon my Lord, having taken leave of the King in the Shield Gallery, (where I saw with what kindnesse the King did hugg my Lord at his parting,) I went over with him and saw him in his coach at Lambeth, and there took leave of him, he going to the Downes.

5th Great newes now-a-day of the Duke d’Anjou’s¹⁵⁶ desire to marry the Princesse Henrietta Hugh Peters is said to be taken The Duke of Gloucester is ill, and it is said it will prove the small-pox.

13th This day the Duke of Gloucester died of the small-pox by the great negligence of the doctors.

15th To Westminster, where I met with Dr Castles, who chidd me for some error in our Privy-Seale business, among the rest, for letting the fees of the six judges pass unpaid, which I know not what to say to, till I speak to Mr Moore I was much troubled, for fear of being forced to pay the money myself Called at my father’s going home, and bespoke mourning for myself, for the death of the Duke of Gloucester.

16th My Lord of Oxford¹⁵⁷ is also dead of the smallpox, in whom his family dyes, after 600 years having that honour in their family and name To the Park, where I saw how far they had proceeded in the Pell- mell, and in making a river through the Park, which I had never seen before since it was begun Thence to White Hall garden, where I saw the King in purple mourning for his brother.

18th This day I heard that the Duke of York, upon the news of the death of his brother yesterday, came hither by post last night.

To the Miter taverne in Wood-streete (a house of the greatest note in London,) where I met W Symons, and D Scobell, and their wives, Mr Samford Luellin, Chetwind, one Mr Vivion, and Mr White,¹⁵⁸ formerly chaplain to the Lady Protectresse, (and still so, and one they say that is likely to get my Lady Francesse for his wife) Here some of us fell to handycapp, a sport that I never knew before.

20th To Major Hart’s lodgings in Cannon-streete, who used me very kindly with wine and good discourse, particularly upon the ill method which Col Birch and the Committee use in defending of the army and the navy, promising the Parliament to save them a great deal of money, when we judge that it will cost the King more than if they had nothing to do with it, by reason of their delayes and scrupulous enquirys into the account of both.

21st Upon the water saw the corpse of the Duke of Gloucester brought down to Somerset House stairs, to go by water to Westminster, to be buried.

22nd I bought a pair of short black stockings, to wear over a pair of silk ones for mourning, and I met with The Turner and Joyce, buying of things to go into mourning too for the Duke, which is now the mode of all the ladies in towne This day Mr Edw Pickering is come from my Lord, and says that he left him well in Holland, and that he will be here within three or four days.