we　shall　be　undone　by　this　fleet。　　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　are　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　outmany　of　our　ships　coming　in　with　very　small　disableness。　　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　fleet：　　he　telling　me　that　even　one　of　our　flag…men　in　the　fleet；　did　not　know　which　tacke　lost　the　wind；　or　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。
  6th。　　I　believe　not　less　than　one　thousand　people　in　the　streets。　But　it　is　a　pretty　thing　to　observe　that　both　there　and　every　where　else；　a　man　shall　see　many　women　now…a…days　of　mean　sort　in　the　streets；　but　no　men；　men　being　so　afraid　of　the　press。　　I　dined　with　Sir　G。　Carteret；　and　after　dinner　had　much　discourse　about；　our　public　business；　and　he　do　seem　to　fear　every　day　more　and　more　what　I　do；　which　is　a　general　confusion　in　the　State；　plainly　answering　me　to　the　question；　who　is　it　that　the　weight　of　the　warr　depends　upon？　　that　it　is　only　Sir　W。　Coventry。　　He　tells　me；　too；　the　Duke　of　Albemarle　is　dissatisfied；　and　that　the　Duchesse　do　curse　Coventry　as　the　man　that　betrayed　her　husband　to　the　sea：　　though　I　believe　that　it　is　not　so。　　Thence　to　Lumburd…streete；　and　received　2000l。；　and　carried　it　home：　whereof　1000l。　in　gold。　　This　I　do　for　security　sake；　and　convenience　of　carriage；　though　it　costs　me　above　70l。　the　change　of　it；　at　18　1/2d　per　peece。　　Creed　tells　me　he　finds　all　things　mighty　dull　at　Court；　and　that　they　now　begin　to　lie　long　in　bed；　it　being；　as　we　suppose；　not　seemly　for　them　to　be　found　playing　and　gaming　as　they　used　to　be；　nor　that　their　minds　are　at　ease　enough　to　follow　those　sports；　and　yet　not　knowing　how　to　employ　themselves；　（though　there　be　work　enough　for　their　thoughts　and　councils　and　pains；）　they　keep　long　in　bed。　　But　he　thinks　with　me；　that　there　is　nothing　in　the　world　can　help　us　but　the　King's　personal　looking　after　his　business　and　his　officers；　and　that　with　that　we　may　yet　do　well；　but　otherwise　must　be　undone：　nobody　at　this　day　taking　care　of　anything；　nor　hath　any　body　to　call　him　to　account　for　it。
  10th。　　To　the　office；　the　yard　being　very　full　of　women；　（I　believe　above　three　hundred）　coming　to　get　money　for　their　husbands　and　friends　that　are　prisoners　in　Holland；　and　they　lay　clamouring　and　swearing　and　cursing　us；　that　my　wife　and　I　were　afraid　to　send　a　venison…pasty　that　we　have　for　supper　to…night；　to　the　cook's　to　be　baked；　for　fear　of　their　offering　violence　to　it：　　but　it　went；　and　no　hurt　done。　　To　the　Tower　to　speak　with　Sir　John　Robinson　about　the　bad　condition　of　the　pressed　men　for　want　of　clothes。
  11th。　　I　away　by　coach　to　St。　James's；　and　there　hear　that　the　Duchesse　is　lately　brought　to　bed　of　a　boy。　　By　and　by　called　to　wait　on　the　Duke；　the　King　being　present；　and　there　agreed；　among　other　things；　of　the　places　to　build　the　ten　new　great　ships　ordered　to　be　built；　and　as　to　the　relief　of　prisoners　is　Holland。　　And　then；　about　several　stories　of　the　basenesse　of　the　King　of　Spain's　being　served　with　officers：　　they　in　Flanders　having　as　good　common　men　as　any　Prince　in　the　world；　but　the　veriest　cowards　for　the　officers；　nay　for　the　general　officers；　as　the　Generall　and　Lieutenant…generall；　in　the　whole　world。　But；　above　all　things；　the　King　did　speak　most　in　contempt　of　the　ceremoniousnesse　of　the　King　of　Spain；　that　he　do　nothing　but　under　some　ridiculous　form　or　other。　　I　shall　get　in　near　2000l。　into　my　own　hands；　which　is　in　the　King's；　upon　tallies；　which　will　be　a　pleasure　to　me；　and　satisfaction　to　have　a　good　sum　in　my　own　hands；　whatever　evil　disturbances　should　be　in　the　State；　though　it　troubles　me　to　lose　so　great　a　profit　as　the　King's　interest　of　ten　per　cent。　for　that　money。
  12th。　　With　Sir　W。　Coventry　into　London；　to　the　office。　　And　all　the　way　I　observed　him　mightily　to　make　mirth　of　the　Duke　of　Albemarle　and　his　people　about　him；　saying；　that　he　was　the　happiest　man　in　the　world　for　doing　of　great　things　by　sorry　instruments。　　And　so　particularized　in　Sir　W。　Clerke；　and　Riggs；　and　Halsey；　and　others。　　And　then　again　said　that　the　only　duality　eminent　in　him　was；　that　he　did　persevere；　and　indeed　he　is　a　very　drudge；　and　stands　by　the　King's　business。
  14th。　　Up　betimes　to　the　office；　to　write　fair　a　laborious　letter　I　wrote　as　from　the　Board　to　the　Duke　of　York；　laying　out　our　want　of　money　again；　and　particularly　the　business　of　Captain　Cocke's　tender　of　hemp；　which　my　Lord　Brouncker　brought　in　under　an　unknown　hand　without　name。　　Wherein　his　Lordship　will　have　no　great　success；　I　doubt。　　That　being　done；　I　down　to　Thames…　streete；　and　there　agreed　for　four　or　five　tons　of　corke；　to　send　this　day　to　the　fleet；　being　a　new　device　to　make　barricados　with；　instead　of　junke。　　After　a　song　in　the　garden；　which　is　now　the　greatest　pleasure　I　take；　and　indeed　do　please　me　mightily；　to　bed。　　This　evening　I　had　Davila　brought　home　to　me　and　find　it　a　most　excellent　history　as　ever　I　read。
  16th。　　A　wonderful　dark　sky；　and　shower　of　rain　this　morning。　　At　Harwich　a　shower　of　hail　as　big　as　walnuts。
  18th。　　To　St。　James's　after　my　fellows；　and　here；　among　other　things；　before　us　all；　the　Duke　of　York　did　say；　that　now　at　length　is　come　to　a　sure　knowledge　that　the　Dutch　did　lose　in　the　late　engagements　twenty…nine　captains　and　thirteen　ships。　　Upon　which　Sir　W。　Coventry　did　publickly　move；　that　if　his　Royal　Highness　had　this　of　a　certainty；　it　would　be　of　use　to　send　this　down　to　the　fleet；　and　to　cause　it　to　be　spread　about　the　fleet；　for　the　recovering　of　the　spirits　of　the　officers　and　seamen；　who　are　under　great　dejectednes；　for　want　of　knowing　that　they　did　do　any　thing　against　the　enemy；　notwithstanding　all　that　they　did　to　us。　　Which；　though　it　be　true；　yet　methought　was　one　of　the　most　dishonourable　motions　to　our　countrymen　that　ever　was　made；　and　is　worth　remembering。　　Thence　with　Sir　W。　Pen　home；　calling　at　Lilly's；　to　have　a　time　appointed　when　to　be　drawn　among　the　other　Commanders　of　Flags　the　last　year's　fight。　　And　so　full　of　work　Lilly　is；　that　he　was　fain　to　take　his　table…book　out　to　see　how　his　time　is　appointed；　and　appointed　six　days　hence　for　him　to　come　between　seven　and　eight　in　the　morning。　　Thence　with　him　home；　and　there　by　appointment　I　find　Dr。　Fuller；　now　Bishop　of　Limericke；　in　Ireland；　whom　I　knew　in　his　low　condition　at　Twittenham　and　find　the　Bishop　the　same　good　man　that　ever；　and　in　a　word；　kind　to　us；　and；　methinks；　one　of　the　comeliest　and　most　becoming　prelates　in　all　respects　that　ever　I　saw　in　my　life。　　During　dinner　comes　an　acquaintance　of　his；　Sir　Thomas　Littleton　＇Afterwards　made　Treasurer　of　the　Navy　in　conjunction　with　Sir　Thomas　Osborn。＇　　whom　I　knew　not　while　he　was　in　my　house；　but　liked　his　discourse：　　and　afterwards；　by　Sir　W。　Pen；　do　come　to　know　that　he　is　one　of　the　greatest　speakers　in　the　House　of　Commons；　and　the　usual　second　to　the　great　Vaughan。　　So　was　sorry　I　did　observe　him　no　more；　and　gain　more　of　his　acquaintance。　　Walked　to　Woolwich；　reading　〃the　Rivall　Ladys〃　＇A　Tragi…comedy　by　Dryden。＇　　all　the　way；　and　find　it　a　most　pleasant　and　fine　writ　play。
  19th。　　Full　of　wants　of　money；　and　much　stores　to　buy；　for　to　replenish　the　stores；　and　no　money　to　do　it　with。　　The　fleet　is　sailed　this　morning；　God　send　us　good　news　of　them！
  21st。　　At　noon　walked　in　the　garden　with　Commissioner　Pett；　（newly　come　to　town）　who　tells　me　how　infinite　the　disorders　are　among　the　commanders　and　all　officers　of　the　fleet。　　No　discipline：　　nothing　but　swearing　and　cursing；　and　every　body　doing　what　they　please；　and　the　Generalls；　understanding　no　better；　suffer　it；　to　the　reproaching　of　this　Board；　or　whoever　it　will　be。　　He　himself　hath　been　challenged　twice　to　the　field；　or　something　as　good；　by　Sir　Edward　Spragge　and　Capt。　Seamons　＇QUERY　Seymour？＇　　He　tells　me　that　captains　carry；　for　all　the　late　orders；　what　men　they　please。　　So　that　he　fears；　and　I　d