two or three days, and then sent to the King to know
whether she might send for her things away out of her
house. The King sent to her, she must first come
and view them: and so she come, and the King
went to her, and all friends again. He tells
me she did, in her anger, say she would be even with
the King, and print his letters to her. So putting
all together, we are and are like to be in a sad condition.
We are endeavouring to raise money by borrowing it
of the City; but I do not think the City will lend
a farthing. By and by the Council broke up,
and I spoke with Sir W. Coventry about business, with
whom I doubt not in a little time to be mighty well,
when I shall appear to mind my business again as I
used to do, which by the grace of God I will do.
Gone from him I endeavoured to find out Sir G. Carteret,
and at last did at Mr. Ashburnham’s, in the
Old Palace Yarde, and thence he and I stepped out
and walked an houre in the church-yarde, under Henry
the Seventh’s Chappell, he being lately come
from the fleete; and tells me, as I hear from every
body else, that the management in the late fight was
bad from top to bottom. That several said this
would not have been if my Lord Sandwich had had the
ordering of it. Nay, he tells me that certainly
had my Lord Sandwich had the misfortune to have done
as they have done, the King could not have saved him.
There is, too, nothing but discontent among the officers;
and all the old experienced men are slighted.
He tells me to my question (but as a great secret),
that the dividing of the fleete did proceed first
from a proposition from the fleete, though agreed
to hence. But he confesses it arose from want
of due intelligence, which he confesses we do want.
He do, however, call the fleete’s retreat on
Sunday a very honourable retreat, and that the Duke
of Albemarle did do well in it, and would have been
well if he had done it sooner, rather than venture
the loss of the fleete and crown, as he must have done
if the Prince had not come. He was surprised
when I told him I heard that the King did intend to
borrow some money of the City, and would know who had
spoke of it to me; I told him Sir Ellis Layton this
afternoon. He says it is a dangerous discourse;
for that the City certainly will not be invited to
do it, and then for the King to ask it and be denied,
will be the beginning of our sorrow. He seems
to fear we shall all fall to pieces among ourselves.
This evening we hear that Sir Christopher Mings is
dead of his late wounds; and Sir W. Coventry did commend
him to me in a most extraordinary manner. But
this day, after three days’ trial in vain, and
the hazard of the spoiling of the ship in lying till
next spring, besides the disgrace of it, newes is
brought that the Loyall London is launched at Deptford.
Having talked thus much with Sir G. Carteret we parted
there, and I home by water, taking in my boat with
me young Michell and my Betty his wife, meeting them
accidentally going to look a boat. I set them
down at the Old Swan and myself, went through bridge
to the Tower, and so home, and after supper to bed.