was fair, that we might have the benefit of our whole force in the ships that we had.  He says three things must [be] remedied, or else we shall be undone by this fleete. 1.  That we must fight in a line, whereas we fight promiscuously, to our utter and demonstrable ruine; the Dutch fighting otherwise; and we, whenever we beat them. 2.  We must not desert ships of our own in distress, as we did, for that makes a captain desperate, and he will fling away his ship, when there is no hopes left him of succour. 3.  That ships, when they are a little shattered, must not take the liberty to come in of themselves, but refit themselves the best they can, and stay out—­many of our ships coming in with very small disablenesses.  He told me that our very commanders, nay, our very flag-officers, do stand in need of exercising among themselves, and discoursing the business of commanding a fleete; he telling me that even one of our flag-men in the fleete did not know which tacke lost the wind, or which kept it, in the last engagement.  He says it was pure dismaying and fear that made them all run upon the Galloper, not having their wits about them; and that it was a miracle they were not all lost.  He much inveighs upon my discoursing of Sir John Lawson’s saying heretofore, that sixty sail would do as much as one hundred; and says that he was a man of no counsel at all, but had got the confidence to say as the gallants did, and did propose to himself to make himself great by them, and saying as they did; but was no man of judgement in his business, but hath been out in the greatest points that have come before them.  And then in the business of fore-castles, which he did oppose, all the world sees now the use of them for shelter of men.  He did talk very rationally to me, insomuch that I took more pleasure this night in hearing him discourse, than I ever did in my life in any thing that he said.  He gone I to the office again, and so after some business home to supper and to bed.

5th.  Up and to the office, where we sat all the morning busy, then at noon dined and Mr. Sheply with me, who come to towne the other day.  I lent him 630 in silver upon 30 pieces in gold.  But to see how apt every body is to neglect old kindnesses!  I must charge myself with the ingratitude of being unwilling to lend him so much money without some pawne, if he should have asked it, but he did not aske it, poor man, and so no harm done.  After dinner, he gone, I to my office and Lumbard Streete about money, and then to my office again, very busy, and so till late, and then a song with my wife and Mercer in the garden, and so with great content to bed.