to report to him what the works are that are required of us and to divide
among us, wherein I have taken a very good share, and more than I can
perform, I doubt. Thence to the Exchequer about some Tangier businesses,
and then home, where to my very great joy I find Balty come home without
any hurt, after the utmost imaginable danger he hath gone through in the
Henery, being upon the quarterdeck with Harman all the time; and for which
service Harman I heard this day commended most seriously and most
eminently by the Duke of Yorke. As also the Duke did do most utmost right
to Sir Thomas Teddiman, of whom a scandal was raised, but without cause,
he having behaved himself most eminently brave all the whole fight, and to
extraordinary great service and purpose, having given Trump himself such a
broadside as was hardly ever given to any ship. Mings is shot through the
face, and into the shoulder, where the bullet is lodged. Young Holmes' is
also ill wounded, and Atber in The Rupert. Balty tells me the case of The
Henery; and it was, indeed, most extraordinary sad and desperate. After
dinner Balty and I to my office, and there talked a great deal of this
fight; and I am mightily pleased in him and have great content in, and
hopes of his doing well. Thence out to White Hall to a Committee for
Tangier, but it met not. But, Lord! to see how melancholy the Court is,
under the thoughts of this last overthrow (for so it is), instead of a
victory, so much and so unreasonably expected. Thence, the Committee not
meeting, Creed and I down the river as low as Sir W. Warren's, with whom I
did motion a business that may be of profit to me, about buying some
lighters to send down to the fleete, wherein he will assist me. So back
again, he and I talking of the late ill management of this fight, and of
the ill management of fighting at all against so great a force bigger than
ours, and so to the office, where we parted, but with this satisfaction
that we hear the Swiftsure, Sir W. Barkeley, is come in safe to the Nore,
after her being absent ever since the beginning of the fight, wherein she
did not appear at all from beginning to end. But wherever she has been,
they say she is arrived there well, which I pray God however may be true.
At the office late, doing business, and so home to supper and to bed.
9th. Up, and to St. James's, there to wait on the Duke of Yorke, and had
discourse with him about several businesses of the fleete. But, Lord! to
see how the Court is divided about The Swiftsure and The Essex's being
safe. And wagers and odds laid on both sides. I did tell the Duke how
Sir W. Batten did tell me this morning that he was sure the Swiftsure is
safe. This put them all in a great joy and certainty of it, but this I
doubt will prove nothing. Thence to White Ball in expectation of a
meeting of Tangier, and we did industriously labour to have it this
morning; but we could not get a fifth person there, so after much pains
and thoughts on my side on behalfe of Yeabsly, we were fain to breake up.
But, Lord! to see with what patience Lord Ashly did stay all the morning
to get a Committee, little thinking that I know the reason of his
willingnesse. So I home to dinner and back again to White Hall, and,
being come thither a little too soon, went to Westminster Hall, and bought
a payre of gloves, and to see how people do take this late fight at sea,
and I find all give over the thoughts of it as a victory and to reckon it
a great overthrow. So to White Hall, and there when we were come all
together in certain expectation of doing our business to Yeabsly's full
content, and us that were his friends, my Lord Peterborough (whether
through some difference between him and my Lord Ashly, or him and me or
Povy, or through the falsenesse of Creed, I know not) do bring word that
the Duke of Yorke (who did expressly bid me wait at the Committee for the
dispatch of the business) would not have us go forward in this business of
allowing the losse of the ships till Sir G. Carteret and Sir W. Coventry
were come to towne, which was the very thing indeed which we would have
avoided. This being told us, we broke up doing nothing, to my great
discontent, though I said nothing, and afterwards I find by my Lord
Ashly's discourse to me that he is troubled mightily at it, and indeed it
is a great abuse of him and of the whole Commissioners that nothing of
that nature can be done without Sir G. Carteret or Sir W. Coventry. No
sooner was the Committee up, and I going [through] the Court homeward, but
I am told Sir W. Coventry is come to town; so I to his chamber, and there
did give him an account how matters go in our office, and with some
content I parted from him, after we had discoursed several things of the
haste requisite to be made in getting the fleete out again and the manner
of doing it. But I do not hear that he is at all pleased or satisfied
with the late fight; but he tells me more newes of our suffering, by the
death of one or two captains more than I knew before. But he do give over
the thoughts of the safety of The Swiftsure or Essex. Thence homewards,
landed at the Old Swan, and there find my pretty Betty Michell and her
husband at their doore in Thames Streete, which I was glad to find, and
went into their shop, and they made me drink some of their strong water,
the first time I was ever with them there. I do exceedingly love her.
After sitting a little and talking with them about several things at great
distance I parted and home to my business late. But I am to observe how
the drinking of some strong water did immediately put my eyes into a fit
of sorenesse again as they were the other day. I mean my right eye only.
Late at night I had an account brought me by Sir W. Warren that he has
gone through four lighters for me, which pleases me very well. So home to
bed, much troubled with our disappointment at the Tangier Committee.
10th (Lord's day). Up very betimes, and down the river to Deptford, and
did a good deale of business in sending away and directing several things
to the Fleete. That being done, back to London to my office, and there at
my office till after Church time fitting some notes to carry to Sir W.
Coventry in the afternoon. At noon home to dinner, where my cozen Joyces,
both of them, they and their wives and little Will, come by invitation to
dinner to me, and I had a good dinner for them; but, Lord! how sicke was I
of W. Joyce's company, both the impertinencies of it and his ill manners
before me at my table to his wife, which I could hardly forbear taking
notice of; but being at my table and for his wife's sake, I did, though I
will prevent his giving me the like occasion again at my house I will
warrant him. After dinner I took leave and by water to White Hall, and
there spent all the afternoon in the Gallery, till the Council was up, to
speake with Sir W. Coventry. Walking here I met with Pierce the surgeon,
who is lately come from the fleete, and tells me that all the commanders,
officers, and even the common seamen do condemn every part of the late
conduct of the Duke of Albemarle: both in his fighting at all, in his
manner of fighting, running among them in his retreat, and running the
ships on ground; so as nothing can be worse spoken of. That Holmes,
Spragg, and Smith do all the business, and the old and wiser commanders
nothing. So as Sir Thomas Teddiman (whom the King and all the world speak
well of) is mightily discontented, as being wholly slighted. He says we
lost more after the Prince come, than before too. The Prince was so
maimed, as to be forced to be towed home. He says all the fleete confess
their being chased home by the Dutch; and yet the body of the Dutch that
did it, was not above forty sayle at most. And yet this put us into the
fright, as to bring all our ships on ground. He says, however, that the
Duke of Albemarle is as high almost as ever, and pleases himself to think
that he hath given the Dutch their bellies full, without sense of what he
hath lost us; and talks how he knows now the way to beat them. But he
says, that even Smith himself, one of his creatures, did himself condemn
the late conduct from the beginning to the end. He tells me further, how
the Duke of Yorke is wholly given up to his new mistresse, my Lady Denham,
going at noon-day with all his gentlemen with him to visit her in Scotland
Yard; she declaring she will not be his mistresse, as Mrs. Price, to go up
and down the Privy-stairs, but will be owned publicly; and so she is. Mr.
Bruncker, it seems, was the pimp to bring it about, and my Lady
Castlemaine, who designs thereby to fortify herself by the Duke; there
being a falling-out the other day between the King and her: on this
occasion, the Queene, in ordinary talke before the ladies in her
drawing-room, did say to my Lady Castlemaine that she feared the King did
take cold, by staying so late abroad at her house. She answered before
them all, that he did not stay so late abroad with her, for he went
betimes thence (though he do not before one, two, or three in the
morning), but must stay somewhere else. The King then coming in and
overhearing, did whisper in the eare aside, and told her she was a bold
impertinent woman, and bid her to be gone out of the Court, and not come
again till he sent for, her; which she did presently, and went to a
lodging in the Pell Mell, and kept there 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.
11th. Up, and down by water to Sir W. Warren's (the first time I was in
his new house on the other side the water since he enlarged it) to
discourse about our lighters that he hath bought for me, and I hope to get
L100 by this jobb. Having done with him I took boat again (being mightily
struck with a woman in a hat, a seaman's mother,--[Mother or mauther, a
wench.]--that stood on the key) and home, where at the office all the
morning with Sir W. Coventry and some others of our board hiring of
fireships, and Sir W. Coventry begins to see my pains again, which I do
begin to take, and I am proud of it, and I hope shall continue it. He
gone, at noon I home to dinner, and after dinner my father and wife out to
the painter's to sit again, and I, with my Lady Pen and her daughter, to
see Harman; whom we find lame in bed. His bones of his anckle are broke,
but he hopes to do well soon; and a fine person by his discourse he seems
to be and my hearty [friend]; and he did plainly tell me that at the
Council of War before the fight, it was against his reason to begin the
fight then, and the reasons of most sober men there, the wind being such,
and we to windward, that they could not use their lower tier of guns,
which was a very sad thing for us to have the honour and weal of the
nation ventured so foolishly. I left them there, and walked to Deptford,
reading in Walsingham's Manual, a very good book, and there met with Sir
W. Batten and my Lady at Uthwayt's. Here I did much business and yet had
some little mirthe with my Lady, and anon we all come up together to our
office, where I was very late doing much business. Late comes Sir J.
Bankes to see me, and tells me that coming up from Rochester he overtook
three or four hundred seamen, and he believes every day they come flocking
from the fleete in like numbers; which is a sad neglect there, when it
will be impossible to get others, and we have little reason to think that
these will return presently again. He gone, I to end my letters to-night,
and then home to supper and to bed.
12th. Up, and to the office, where we sat all the morning. At noon to
dinner, and then to White Hall in hopes of a meeting of Tangier about
Yeabsly's business, but it could not be obtained, Sir G. Carteret nor Sir
W. Coventry being able to be there, which still vexes [me] to see the poor
man forced still to attend, as also being desirous to see what my profit
is, and get it. Walking here in the galleries I find the Ladies of Honour
dressed in their riding garbs, with coats and doublets with deep skirts,
just for all the world like mine, and buttoned their doublets up the
breast, with perriwigs and with hats; so that, only for a long petticoat
dragging under their men's coats, nobody could take them for women in any
point whatever; which was an odde sight, and a sight did not please me.
It was Mrs. Wells and another fine lady that I saw thus. Thence down by
water to Deptford, and there late seeing some things dispatched down to
the fleete, and so home (thinking indeed to have met with Bagwell, but I
did not) to write my letters very late, and so to supper and to bed.
13th. Up, and by coach to St. James's, and there did our business before
the Duke as usual, having, before the Duke come out of his bed, walked in
an ante-chamber with Sir H. Cholmly, who tells me there are great jarrs
between the Duke of Yorke and the Duke of Albemarle, about the later's
turning out one or two of the commanders put in by the Duke of Yorke.
Among others, Captain Du Tell, a Frenchman, put in by the Duke of Yorke,
and mightily defended by him; and is therein led by Monsieur Blancford,
that it seems hath the same command over the Duke of Yorke as Sir W.
Coventry hath; which raises ill blood between them. And I do in several
little things observe that Sir W. Coventry hath of late, by the by,
reflected on the Duke of Albemarle and his captains, particularly in that
of old Teddiman, who did deserve to be turned out this fight, and was so;
but I heard Sir W. Coventry say that the Duke of Albemarle put in one as
bad as he is in his room, and one that did as little. After we had done
with the Duke of Yorke, I with others to White Hall, there to attend again
a Committee of Tangier, but there was none, which vexed me to the heart,
and makes me mighty doubtfull that when we have one, it will be prejudiced
against poor Yeabsly and to my great disadvantage thereby, my Lord
Peterborough making it his business, I perceive (whether in spite to me,
whom he cannot but smell to be a friend to it, or to my Lord Ashly, I know
not), to obstruct it, and seems to take delight in disappointing of us;
but I shall be revenged of him. Here I staid a very great while, almost
till noon, and then meeting Balty I took him with me, and to Westminster
to the Exchequer about breaking of two tallys of L2000 each into smaller
tallys, which I have been endeavouring a good while, but to my trouble it
will not, I fear, be done, though there be no reason against it, but only
a little trouble to the clerks; but it is nothing to me of real profit at
all. Thence with Balty to Hales's by coach, it being the seventh day from
my making my late oathes, and by them I am at liberty to dispense with any
of my oathes every seventh day after I had for the six days before going
performed all my vowes. Here I find my father's picture begun, and so
much to my content, that it joys my very heart to thinke that I should
have his picture so well done; who, besides that he is my father, and a
man that loves me, and hath ever done so, is also, at this day, one of the
most carefull and innocent men, in the world. Thence with mighty content
homeward, and in my way at the Stockes did buy a couple of lobsters, and
so home to dinner, where I find my wife and father had dined, and were
going out to Hales's to sit there, so Balty and I alone to dinner, and in
the middle of my grace, praying for a blessing upon (these his good
creatures), my mind fell upon my lobsters: upon which I cried, Odd zooks!
and Balty looked upon me like a man at a losse what I meant, thinking at
first that I meant only that I had said the grace after meat instead of
that before meat. But then I cried, what is become of my lobsters?
Whereupon he run out of doors to overtake the coach, but could not, so
came back again, and mighty merry at dinner to thinke of my surprize.
After dinner to the Excise Office by appointment, and there find my Lord
Bellasses and the Commissioners, and by and by the whole company come to
dispute the business of our running so far behindhand there, and did come
to a good issue in it, that is to say, to resolve upon having the debt due
to us, and the Household and the Guards from the Excise stated, and so we
shall come to know the worst of our condition and endeavour for some helpe
from my Lord Treasurer. Thence home, and put off Balty, and so, being
invited, to Sir Christopher Mings's funeral, but find them gone to church.
However I into the church (which is a fair, large church, and a great
chappell) and there heard the service, and staid till they buried him, and
then out. And there met with Sir W. Coventry (who was there out of great
generosity, and no person of quality there but he) and went with him into
his coach, and being in it with him there happened this extraordinary
case, one of the most romantique that ever I heard of in my life, and
could not have believed, but that I did see it; which was this:--About a
dozen able, lusty, proper men come to the coach-side with tears in their
eyes, and one of them that spoke for the rest begun and says to Sir W.
Coventry, "We are here a dozen of us that have long known and loved, and
served our dead commander, Sir Christopher Mings, and have now done the
last office of laying him in the ground. We would be glad we had any
other to offer after him, and in revenge of him. All we have is our
lives; if you will please to get His Royal Highness to give us a fireship
among us all, here is a dozen of us, out of all which choose you one to be
commander, and the rest of us, whoever he is, will serve him; and, if
possible, do that that shall show our memory of our dead commander, and
our revenge." Sir W. Coventry was herewith much moved (as well as I, who
could hardly abstain from weeping), and took their names, and so parted;
telling me that he would move His Royal Highness as in a thing very
extraordinary, which was done. Thereon see the next day in this book. So
we parted. The truth is, Sir Christopher Mings was a very stout man, and a
man of great parts, and most excellent tongue among ordinary men; and as
Sir W. Coventry says, could have been the most useful man at such a pinch
of time as this. He was come into great renowne here at home, and more
abroad in the West Indys. He had brought his family into a way of being
great; but dying at this time, his memory and name (his father being
always and at this day a shoemaker, and his mother a Hoyman's daughter; of
which he was used frequently to boast) will be quite forgot in a few
months as if he had never been, nor any of his name be the better by it;
he having not had time to will any estate, but is dead poor rather than
rich. So we left the church and crowd, and I home (being set down on
Tower Hill), and there did a little business and then in the evening went
down by water to Deptford, it being very late, and there I staid out as
much time as I could, and then took boat again homeward, but the officers
being gone in, returned and walked to Mrs. Bagwell's house, and there (it
being by this time pretty dark and past ten o'clock) went into her house
and did what I would. But I was not a little fearfull of what she told me
but now, which is, that her servant was dead of the plague, that her
coming to me yesterday was the first day of her coming forth, and that she
had new whitened the house all below stairs, but that above stairs they
are not so fit for me to go up to, they being not so. So I parted thence,
with a very good will, but very civil, and away to the waterside, and sent
for a pint of sacke and so home, drank what I would and gave the waterman
the rest; and so adieu. Home about twelve at night, and so to bed,
finding most of my people gone to bed. In my way home I called on a
fisherman and bought three eeles, which cost me three shillings.
14th. Up, and to the office, and there sat all the morning. At noon
dined at home, and thence with my wife and father to Hales's, and there
looked only on my father's picture (which is mighty like); and so away to
White Hall to a committee for Tangier, where the Duke of York was, and Sir
W. Coventry, and a very full committee; and instead of having a very
prejudiced meeting, they did, though indeed inclined against Yeabsly,
yield to the greatest part of his account, so as to allow of his demands
to the value of L7,000 and more, and only give time for him to make good
his pretence to the rest; which was mighty joy to me: and so we rose up.
But I must observe the force of money, which did make my Lord Ashly to
argue and behave himself in the business with the greatest friendship, and
yet with all the discretion imaginable; and [it] will be a business of
admonition and instruction to me concerning him (and other men, too, for
aught I know) as long as I live. Thence took Creed with some kind of
violence and some hard words between us to St. James's, to have found out
Sir W. Coventry to have signed the order for his payment among others that
did stay on purpose to do it (and which is strange among the rest my Lord
Ashly, who did cause Creed to write it presently and kept two or three of
them with him by cunning to stay and sign it), but Creed's ill nature
(though never so well bribed, as it hath lately in this case by twenty
pieces) will not be overcome from his usual delays. Thence failing of
meeting Sir W. Coventry I took leave of Creed (very good friends) and away
home, and there took out my father, wife, sister, and Mercer our grand
Tour in the evening, and made it ten at night before we got home, only
drink at the doore at Islington at the Katherine Wheel, and so home and to
the office a little, and then to bed.
15th. Up betimes, and to my Journall entries, but disturbed by many
businesses, among others by Mr. Houblon's coming to me about evening their
freight for Tangier, which I did, and then Mr. Bland, who presented me
yesterday with a very fine African mat, to lay upon the ground under a bed
of state, being the first fruits of our peace with Guyland. So to the
office, and thither come my pretty widow Mrs. Burrows, poor woman, to get
her ticket paid for her husband's service, which I did her myself, and did
'baisser her moucher', and I do hope may thereafter have some day 'sa'
company. Thence to Westminster to the Exchequer, but could not persuade
the blockheaded fellows to do what I desire, of breaking my great tallys
into less, notwithstanding my Lord Treasurer's order, which vexed [me] so
much that I would not bestow more time and trouble among a company of
dunces, and so back again home, and to dinner, whither Creed come and
dined with me and after dinner Mr. Moore, and he and I abroad, thinking to
go down the river together, but the tide being against me would not, but
returned and walked an houre in the garden, but, Lord! to hear how he
pleases himself in behalf of my Lord Sandwich, in the miscarriage of the
Duke of Albemarle, and do inveigh against Sir W. Coventry as a cunning
knave, but I thinke that without any manner of reason at all, but only his
passion. He being gone I to my chamber at home to set my Journall right
and so to settle my Tangier accounts, which I did in very good order, and
then in the evening comes Mr. Yeabsly to reckon with me, which I did also,
and have above L200 profit therein to myself, which is a great blessing,
the God of heaven make me thankfull for it. That being done, and my eyes
beginning to be sore with overmuch writing, I to supper and to bed.