Diary, July 1665 | Page 6

on as fast as possible, but for convenience we took water and over
to his coach to Lambeth, by which we went to Deptford, all the way
talking, first, how matters are quite concluded with all possible content
between my Lord and him and signed and sealed, so that my Lady
Sandwich is to come thither to-morrow or next day, and the young lady
is sent for, and all likely to be ended between them in a very little while,
with mighty joy on both sides, and the King, Duke, Lord Chancellor,
and all mightily pleased. Thence to newes, wherein I find that Sir G.
Carteret do now take all my Lord Sandwich's business to heart, and
makes it the same with his owne. He tells me how at Chatham it was
proposed to my Lord Sandwich to be joined with the Prince in the
command of the fleete, which he was most willing to; but when it come
to the Prince, he was quite against it; saying, there could be no
government, but that it would be better to have two fleetes, and neither

under the command of the other, which he would not agree to. So the
King was not pleased; but, without any unkindnesse, did order the
fleete to be ordered as above, as to the Admirals and commands: so the
Prince is come up; and Sir G. Carteret, I remember, had this word
thence, that, says he, by this means, though the King told him that it
would be but for this expedition, yet I believe we shall keepe him out
for altogether. He tells me how my Lord was much troubled at Sir W.
Pen's being ordered forth (as it seems he is, to go to Solebay, and with
the best fleete he can, to go forth), and no notice taken of my Lord
Sandwich going after him, and having the command over him. But
after some discourse Mr. Coventry did satisfy, as he says, my Lord, so
as they parted friends both in that point and upon the other wherein I
know my Lord was troubled, and which Mr. Coventry did speak to him
of first thinking that my Lord might justly take offence at, his not being
mentioned in the relation of the fight in the news book, and did clear all
to my Lord how little he was concerned in it, and therewith my Lord
also satisfied, which I am mightily glad of, because I should take it a
very great misfortune to me to have them two to differ above all the
persons in the world. Being come to Deptford, my Lady not being
within, we parted, and I by water to Woolwich, where I found my wife
come, and her two mayds, and very prettily accommodated they will be;
and I left them going to supper, grieved in my heart to part with my
wife, being worse by much without her, though some trouble there is in
having the care of a family at home in this plague time, and so took
leave, and I in one boat and W. Hewer in another home very late, first
against tide, we having walked in the dark to Greenwich. Late home
and to bed, very lonely.

6th. Up and forth to give order to my pretty grocer's wife's house, who,
her husband tells me, is going this day for the summer into the country.
I bespoke some sugar, &c., for my father, and so home to the office,
where all the morning. At noon dined at home, and then by water to
White Hall to Sir G. Carteret about money for the office, a sad thought,
for in a little while all must go to wracke, winter coming on apace,
when a great sum must be ready to pay part of the fleete, and so far we
are from it that we have not enough to stop the mouths of poor people
and their hands from falling about our eares here almost in the office.

God give a good end to it! Sir G. Carteret told me one considerable
thing: Alderman Backewell is ordered abroad upon some private score
with a great sum of money; wherein I was instrumental the other day in
shipping him away. It seems some of his creditors have taken notice of
it, and he was like to be broke yesterday in his absence; Sir G. Carteret
telling me that the King and the kingdom must as good as fall with that
man at this time; and that he was forced to get L4000 himself to answer
Backewell's people's occasions, or he must have broke; but committed
this to me as a great secret and which I am heartily sorry to hear.
Thence, after a little merry discourse of