Diary, Jun/Jul 1664 | Page 6

sort of valour defend it the
most 'opiniastrement' that ever any man did any thing; and yet never
was the man that ever made any attaque by land or sea, but rather
avoyded it on all, even fair occasions. On the other side, Prince Rupert,
the boldest attaquer in the world for personal courage; and yet, in the
defending of Bristol, no man ever did anything worse, he wanting the
patience and seasoned head to consult and advise for defence, and to
bear with the evils of a siege. The like he says is said of my Lord
Tiviott, who was the boldest adventurer of his person in the world, and
from a mean man in few years was come to this greatness of command
and repute only by the death of all his officers, he many times having
the luck of being the only survivor of them all, by venturing upon
services for the King of France that nobody else would; and yet no man
upon a defence, he being all fury and no judgment in a fight. He tells
me above all of the Duke of Yorke, that he is more himself and more of
judgement is at hand in him in the middle of a desperate service, than at
other times, as appeared in the business of Dunkirke, wherein no man
ever did braver things, or was in hotter service in the close of that day,
being surrounded with enemies; and then, contrary to the advice of all
about him, his counsel carried himself and the rest through them safe,
by advising that he might make his passage with but a dozen with him;
"For," says he, "the enemy cannot move after me so fast with a great
body, and with a small one we shall be enough to deal with them;" and

though he is a man naturally martiall to the highest degree, yet a man
that never in his life talks one word of himself or service of his owne,
but only that he saw such or such a thing, and lays it down for a
maxime that a Hector can have no courage. He told me also, as a great
instance of some men, that the Prince of Condo's excellence is, that
there not being a more furious man in the world, danger in fight never
disturbs him more than just to make him civill, and to command in
words of great obligation to his officers and men; but without any the
least disturbance in his judgment or spirit.

5th (Lord's day). About one in the morning I was knocked up by my
mayds to come to my wife who is very ill. I rose, and from some cold
she got to-day, or from something else, she is taken with great gripings,
a looseness, and vomiting. I lay a while by her upon the bed, she being
in great pain, poor wretch, but that being a little over I to bed again, and
lay, and then up and to my office all the morning, setting matters to
rights in some accounts and papers, and then to dinner, whither Mr.
Shepley, late come to town, came to me, and after dinner and some
pleasant discourse he went his way, being to go out of town to
Huntington again to-morrow. So all the afternoon with my wife
discoursing and talking, and in the evening to my office doing business,
and then home to supper and to bed.

6th. Up and found my wife very ill again, which troubles me, but I was
forced to go forth. So by water with Mr. Gauden and others to see a
ship hired by me for the Commissioners of Tangier, and to give order
therein. So back to the office, and by coach with Mr. Gauden to White
Hall, and there to my Lord Sandwich, and here I met Mr. Townsend
very opportunely and Captain Ferrer, and after some discourse we did
accommodate the business of the Wardrobe place, that he shall have the
reversion if he will take it out by giving a covenant that if Mr. Young'
dyes before my father my father shall have the benefit of it for his life.
So home, and thence by water to Deptford, and there found our Trinity
Brethren come from their election to church, where Dr. Britton made,
methought, an indifferent sermon touching the decency that we ought
to observe in God's house, the church, but yet to see how ridiculously
some men will carry themselves. Sir W. Batten did at open table anon

in the name of the whole Society desire him to print his sermon, as if
the Doctor could think that they were fit judges of a good sermon. Then
by barge with Sir W. Batten to