been done. Thus this business ended to-day,
having kept them till almost two o’clock; and
then I by coach with Sir W. Pen as far as St. Clement’s,
talking of this matter, and there set down; and I walked
to Sir G. Carteret’s, and there dined with him
and several Parliament-men, who, I perceive, do all
look upon it as a thing certain that the Parliament
will enquire into every thing, and will be very severe
where they can find any fault. Sir W. Coventry,
I hear, did this day make a speech, in apology for
his reading the letter of the Duke of Albemarle, concerning
the good condition which Chatham was in before the
enemy come thither: declaring his simple intention
therein, without prejudice to my Lord. And I
am told that he was also with the Duke of Albemarle
yesterday to excuse it; but this day I do hear, by
some of Sir W. Coventry’s friends, that they
think he hath done himself much injury by making this
man, and his interest, so much his enemy. After
dinner, I away to Westminster, and up to the Parliament-house,
and there did wait with great patience, till seven
at night, to be called in to the Committee, who sat
all this afternoon, examining the business of Chatham;
and at last was called in, and told, that the least
they expected from us Mr. Wren had promised them, and
only bade me to bring all my fellow-officers thitherto
attend them tomorrow, afternoon. Sir Robert
Brookes in the chair: methinks a sorry fellow
to be there, because a young man; and yet he seems
to speak very well. I gone thence, my cozen
Pepys comes out to me, and walks in the Hall with me,
and bids me prepare to answer to every thing; for
they do seem to lodge the business of Chatham upon
the Commissioners of the Navy, and they are resolved
to lay the fault heavy somewhere, and to punish it:
and prays me to prepare to save myself, and gives
me hints what to prepare against; which I am obliged
to him for, and do begin to mistrust lest some unhappy
slip or other after all my diligence and pains may
not be found (which I can [not] foresee) that may
prove as fatal to a man as the constant course of
negligence and unfaithfulness of other men. Here
we parted, and I to White Hall to Mr. Wren’s
chamber, thereto advise with him about the list of
ships and commanders which he is to present to the
Parliament, and took coach (little Michell being with
me, whom I took with me from Westminster Hall), and
setting him down in Gracious street home myself, where
I find my wife and the two Mercers and Willett and
W. Batelier have been dancing, but without a fidler.
I had a little pleasure in talking with these, but
my head and heart full of thoughts between hope and
fear and doubts what will become of us and me particularly
against a furious Parliament. Then broke up
and to bed, and there slept pretty well till about
four o’clock, and from that time could not,
but my thoughts running on speeches to the Parliament
to excuse myself from the blame which by other men’s
negligence will ’light, it may be, upon the