l；　that　they　might　not　be　in　the　middle　of　the　enemy　in　the　morning　alone；　and　Cox　denying　to　observe　his　advice；　having　received　the　Duke　of　York's　commands　over　night　to　keep　within　gun…shot　（as　they　then　were）　of　the　enemy；　Brouncker　did　go　to　Harman；　and　used　the　same　arguments；　and　told　him　that　he　was　sure　it　would　be　well　pleasing　to　the　King　that　care　should　be　taken　of　not　endangering　the　Duke　of　York；　and；　after　much　persuasion；　Harman　was　heard　to　say；　〃Why；　if　it　must　be；　then　lower　the　topsail。〃　and　so　did　shorten　sail；　to　the　loss；　as　the　Parliament　will　have　it；　of　the　greatest　victory　that　ever　was；　and　which　would　have　saved　all　the　expence　of　blood　and　money；　and　honour；　that　followed；　and　this　they　do　resent；　so　as　to　put　it　to　the　question；　whether　Brouncker　should　not　be　carried　to　the　Tower：　　who　do　confess　that；　out　of　kindness　to　the　Duke　of　York's　safety；　he　did　advise　that　they　should　do　so；　but　did　not　use　the　Duke　of　York's　name　therein；　and　so　it　was　only　his　error　in　advising　it；　but；　the　greatest　theirs　in　taking　it　contrary　to　order。　　At　last　it　ended　that　it　should　be　suspended　till　Harman　comes　home；　and　then　the　Parliament…men　do　all　tell　me　that　it　will　fall　heavy；　and；　they　think；　be　fatal　to　Brouncker　or　him。　　Sir　W。　Pen　tells　me；　he　was　gone　to　bed；　having　been　all　day　labouring；　and　then　not　able　to　stand；　of　the　gout；　and　did　give　order　for　the　keeping　the　sails　standing　as　they　then　were　all　night。　　But；　which　I　wonder　at；　he　tells　me　that　he　did　not　know　the　next　day　that　they　had　shortened　sail；　nor　ever　did　enquire　into　it　till　about　ten　days　ago；　that　this　began　to　be　mentioned；　and　indeed　it　is　charged　privately　as　a　fault　on　the　Duke　of　York；　that；　he　did　not　presently　examine　the　reason　of　the　breach　of　his　orders；　and　punish　it。　　But　Cox　tells　me　that　he　did　finally　refuse　it；　and　what　prevailed　with　Harman　he　knows　not；　and　do　think　that　we　might　have　done　considerable　service　on　the　enemy　the　next　day；　if　this　had　not　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　came　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　thither　to…morrow　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　cosen　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　lay　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。　This　day　I　did　get　a　list　of　the　fourteen　particular　miscarriages　which　are　already　before　the　Committee　to　be　examined；　wherein；　besides　two　or　three　that　will　concern　this　office　much；　there　are　those　of　the　prizes；　and　that　of　Bergen；　and　not　following　the　Dutch　ships；　against　my　Lord　Sandwich；　that　I　fear　will　ruin　him；　unless　he　hath　very　good　luck；　or　they　may　be　in　better　temper　before　he　can　come　to　be　charged：　　but　my　heart　is　full　of　fear　for　him　and　his　family。　　I　hear　that　they　do　prosecute　the　business　against　my　Lord　Chief　Justice　Keeling　with　great　severity。
  22nd。　　Slept　but　ill　all　the　last　part　of　the　night；　for　fear　of　this　day's　success　in　Parliament：　　therefore　up；　and　all　of　us　all　the　morning　close；　till　almost　two　o'clock；　collecting　all　we　had　to　say　and　had　done　from　the　beginning；　touching　the　safety　of　the　River　Medway　and　Chatham。　　And　having　done　this；　and　put　it　into　order；　we　away；　I　not　having　time　to　eat　my　dinner；　and　so　all　in　my　Lord　Brouncker's　coach；　（that　is　to　say；　Brouncker；　W。　Pen；　T。　Hater；　and　myself；）　talking　of　the　other　great　matter　with　which　they　charge　us；　that　is；　of　discharging　men　by　ticket；　in　order　to　our　defence　in　case　that　should　be　asked。　　We　came　to　the　Parliament…door；　and　there；　after　a　little　waiting　till　the　Committee　was　sat；　we　were；　the　House　being　very　full；　called　in：　（Sir　W。　Pen　went　in　and　sat　as　a　Member：　　and　my　Lord　Brouncker　would　not　at　first　go　in；　expecting　to　have　a　chair　set　for　him；　and　his　brother　had　bid　him　not　go　in　till　he　was　called　for；　but；　after　a　few　words；　I　had　occasion　to　mention　him；　and　so　he　was　called　in；　but　without　any　more　chair　or　respect　paid　him　than　myself：）　and　so　Brouncker；　and　T。　Hater；　and　I　were　there　to　answer：　　and　I　had　a　chair　brought　me　to　lean　my　books　upon；　and　so　did　give　them　such　an　account；　in　a　series　of　the　whole　business　that　had　passed　the　office　touching　the　matter；　and　so　answered　all　questions　given　me　about　it；　that　I　did　not　perceive　but　they　were　fully　satisfied　with　me　and　the　business　as　to　our　office：　　and　then　Commissioner　Pett　（who　was　by　at　all　my　discourse；　and　this　held　till　within　an　hour　after　candle…light；　for　I　had　candles　brought　in　to　read　my　papers　by）　was　to　answer　for　himself；　we　having　lodged　all　matters　with　him　for　execution。　But；　Lord！　　what　a　tumultuous　thing　this　Committee　is；　for　all　the　reputation　they　have　of　a　great　council；　is　a　strange　consideration；　there　being　as　impertinent　questions；　and　as　disorderly　proposed；　as　any　man　could　make。　　But　Commissioner　Pett　of　all　men　living　did　make　the　weakest　defence　of　himself：　nothing　to　the　purpose；　nor　to　satisfaction；　nor　certain；　but　sometimes　one　thing　and　sometimes　another；　sometimes　for　himself　and　sometimes　against　him；　and　h；s　greatest　failure　was　（that　I　observed）　from　his　considering　whether　the　question　propounded　was　his　part　to　answer　or　no；　and　the　thing　to　be　done　was　his　work　to　do：　　the　want　of　which　distinction　will　overthrow　him；　for　he　concerns　himself　in　giving　an　account　of　the　disposal　of　the　boats；　which　he　had　no　reason　at　all　to　do；　or　take　any　blame　upon　him　for　them。　　He　charged　the　not　carrying　up　of　〃The　Charles〃　upon　the　Tuesday　to　the　Duke　of　Albemarle；　but　I　see　the　House　is　mighty　favourable　to　the　Duke　of　Albemarle；　and　would　give　little　weight　to　it。　　And　something　of　want　of　armes　he　spoke；　which　Sir　J。　Duncomb　answered　with　great　imperiousness　and　earnestness；　but；　for　all　that；　I　do　see　the　House　is　resolved　to　be　better　satisfied　in　the　business　of　the　unreadiness　of　Sheernesse；　and　want　of　armes　and　ammunition　there　and　every　where；　and　all　their　officers　were　here　to…day　attending；　but　only　one　called　in；　about　armes　for　boats　to　answer　Commissioner　Pett。　　None　of　my　brethren　said　anything　but　me　there：　　but　only　two　or　three　silly　words　my　Lord　Brouncker　gave　in　answer　to　one　question　about　the　number　of　men　that　were　in　the　King's　Yard　at　the　time。　　At　last　the　House　dismissed　us；　and　shortly　after　did　adjourn　the　debate　till　Friday　next：　　and　my　cosen　Pepys　did　come　out　and　joy　me　in　my　acquitting　myself　so　well；　and　so　did　several　others；　and　my　fellow　officers　all　very　briske　to　see　themselves　so　well　acquitted；　which　makes　me　a　little　proud；　but　yet　not　secure　but　we　may　yet　meet　with　a　back…blow　which　we　see　not。
  23rd。　　To　White　Hall；　there　to　attend　the　Duke　of　York；　but　came　a　little　too　late；　and　so　missed　it：　　only　spoke　with　him；　and　heard　him　correct　my　Lord　Barkeley　who　fell　foul　on　Sir　Edward　Spragg；　（who；　it　seems；　said　yesterday　to　the　House；　that　if　the　officers　of　the　Ordnance　had　done　as　much　work　at　Sheernesse　in　ten　weeks　as　〃The　Prince〃　did　in　ten　days；　he　could　have　defended　the　place　against　the　Dutch）：　　but　the　Duke　of　York　told　him　that　every　body　must　have　liberty　at　this　time　to　make　their　own　defence；　though　it　be　to　the　charging　of　the　fault　upon　any　other；　so　it　be　true；　so　I　perceive　the　whole　world　is　at　work　in　blaming　one　another。　　Thence　Sir　W。　Pen　and　I　back　into　London；　and　there　saw　the　King；　with　his　kettle…drums　and　trumpets；　going　to　the　Exchange　to　lay　the　first　stone　of　the　first　pillar　of　the　new　building　of　the　Exchange；　which；　the　gates　being　shut；　I　could　not　get　in　to　see；　so　with　Sir　W。　Pen　to　Captain　Cocke's；　and　then　again　toward　Westminster；　but　in　my　way　stopped　at　the　Exchange　and　got　in；　the　King　being　newly　gone；　a