Diary, Jan/Feb 1665/66 | Page 8

the Dutch; as
also have certain newes, that by storms Sir Jer. Smith's fleet is scattered,

and three of them come without masts back to Plymouth, which is
another very exceeding great disappointment, and if the victualling
ships are miscarried will tend to the losse of the garrison of Tangier.
Thence home, in my way had the opportunity I longed for, of seeing
and saluting Mrs. Stokes, my little goldsmith's wife in Paternoster Row,
and there bespoke some thing, a silver chafing-dish for warming plates,
and so home to dinner, found my wife busy about making her hangings
for her chamber with the upholster. So I to the office and anon to the
Duke of Albemarle, by coach at night, taking, for saving time, Sir W.
Warren with me, talking of our businesses all the way going and
coming, and there got his reference of my pursers' paper to the Board to
consider of it before he reads it, for he will never understand it I am
sure. Here I saw Sir W. Coventry's kind letter to him concerning my
paper, and among others of his letters, which I saw all, and that is a
strange thing, that whatever is writ to this Duke of Albemarle, all the
world may see; for this very night he did give me Mr. Coventry's letter
to read, soon as it come to his hand, before he had read it himself, and
bid me take out of it what concerned the Navy, and many things there
was in it, which I should not have thought fit for him to have let any
body so suddenly see; but, among other things, find him profess
himself to the Duke a friend into the inquiring further into the business
of Prizes, and advises that it may be publique, for the righting the King,
and satisfying the people and getting the blame to be rightly laid where
it should be, which strikes very hard upon my Lord Sandwich, and
troubles me to read it. Besides, which vexes me more, I heard the
damned Duchesse again say to twenty gentlemen publiquely in the
room, that she would have Montagu sent once more to sea, before he
goes his Embassy, that we may see whether he will make amends for
his cowardice, and repeated the answer she did give the other day in my
hearing to Sir G. Downing, wishing her Lord had been a coward, for
then perhaps he might have been made an Embassador, and not been
sent now to sea. But one good thing she said, she cried mightily out
against the having of gentlemen Captains with feathers and ribbands,
and wished the King would send her husband to sea with the old plain
sea Captains, that he served with formerly, that would make their ships
swim with blood, though they could not make legs
[Make bows, play the courtier. The reading, "make leagues," appeared

in former editions till Mr. Mynors Bright corrected it.]
as Captains nowadays can. It grieved me to see how slightly the Duke
do every thing in the world, and how the King and every body suffers
whatever he will to be done in the Navy, though never so much against
reason, as in the business of recalling tickets, which will be done
notwithstanding all the arguments against it. So back again to my office,
and there to business and so to bed.

11th. Up and to the office. By and by to the Custome House to the
Farmers, there with a letter of Sir G. Carteret's for L3000, which they
ordered to be paid me. So away back again to the office, and at noon to
dinner all of us by invitation to Sir W. Pen's, and much other company.
Among others, Lieutenant of the Tower, and Broome, his poet, and Dr.
Whistler, and his (Sir W. Pen's) son-in-law Lowder, servant--[lover]--
to Mrs. Margaret Pen, and Sir Edward Spragg, a merry man, that sang a
pleasant song pleasantly. Rose from table before half dined, and with
Mr. Mountney of the Custome House to the East India House, and there
delivered to him tallys for L3000 and received a note for the money on
Sir R. Viner. So ended the matter, and back to my company, where
staid a little, and thence away with my Lord Bruncker for discourse
sake, and he and I to Gresham College to have seen Mr. Hooke and a
new invented chariott of Dr. Wilkins, but met with nobody at home! So
to Dr. Wilkins's, where I never was before, and very kindly received
and met with Dr. Merritt, and fine discourse among them to my great
joy, so sober and so ingenious. He is now upon finishing his discourse
of a universal character. So away and I home