it with, turn down to the Middle-ground; which the
Duke of York observed, never was nor would have been
undertaken by ourselves. And whereas some of
the company answered, it was their great fear, not
their choice that made them do it, the Duke of York
answered, that it was, it may be, their fear and wisdom
that made them do it; but yet their fear did not make
them mistake, as we should have done, when we have
had no fear upon us, and have run our ships on ground.
And this brought it into my mind, that they managed
their retreat down this difficult passage, with all
their fear, better than we could do ourselves in the
main sea, when the Duke of Albemarle run away from
the Dutch, when the Prince was lost, and the Royal
Charles and the other great ships come on ground upon
the Galloper. Thus, in all things, in wisdom,
courage, force, knowledge of our own streams, and
success, the Dutch have the best of us, and do end
the war with victory on their side. The Duke
of York being ready, we into his closet, but, being
in haste to go to the Parliament House, he could not
stay. So we parted, and to Westminster Hall,
where the Hall full of people to see the issue of
the day, the King being come to speak to the House
to-day. One thing extraordinary was, this day
a man, a Quaker, came naked through the Hall, only
very civilly tied about the privities to avoid scandal,
and with a chafing-dish of fire and brimstone burning
upon his head, did pass through the Hall, crying,
“Repent! repent!” I up to the Painted Chamber,
thinking to have got in to have heard the King’s
speech, but upon second thoughts did not think it
would be worth the crowd, and so went down again into
the Hall and there walked with several, among others
my Lord Rutherford, who is come out of Scotland, and
I hope I may get some advantage by it in reference
to the business of the interest of the great sum of
money I paid him long since without interest.
But I did not now move him in it. But presently
comes down the House of Commons, the King having made
then a very short and no pleasing speech to them at
all, not at all giving them thanks for their readiness
to come up to town at this busy time; but told them
that he did think he should have had occasion for
them, but had none, and therefore did dismiss them
to look after their own occasions till October; and
that he did wonder any should offer to bring in a
suspicion that he intended to rule by an army, or otherwise
than by the laws of the land, which he promised them
he would do; and so bade them go home and settle the
minds of the country in that particular; and only
added, that he had made a peace which he did believe
they would find reasonable, and a good peace, but
did give them none of the particulars thereof.
Thus they are dismissed again to their general great
distaste, I believe the greatest that ever Parliament
was, to see themselves so fooled, and the nation in
certain condition of ruin, while the King, they see,
is only governed by his lust, and women, and rogues