Diary, November 1667 | Page 4

DIARY OF SAMUEL PEPYS. NOVEMBER 1667
November 1st. Up betimes, and down to the waterside (calling and
drinking a dram of the bottle at Michell's, but saw not Betty), and

thence to White Hall and to Sir W. Coventry's lodging, where he and I
alone a good while, where he gives me the full of the Duke of
Albemarle's and Prince's narratives, given yesterday by the House,
wherein they fall foul of him and Sir G. Carteret in something about the
dividing of the fleete, and the Prince particularly charging the
Commissioners of the Navy with negligence, he says the
Commissioners of the Navy whereof Sir W. Coventry is one. He tells
me that he is prepared to answer any particular most thoroughly, but
the quality of the persons do make it difficult for him, and so I do see is
in great pain, poor man, though he deserves better than twenty such as
either of them, for his abilities and true service to the King and
kingdom. He says there is incoherences, he believes, to be found
between their two reports, which will be pretty work to consider. The
Duke of Albemarle charges W. Coventry that he should tell him, when
he come down to the fleete with Sir G. Carteret, to consult about
dividing the fleete, that the Dutch would not be out in six weeks, which
W. Coventry says is as false as is possible, and he can prove the
contrary by the Duke of Albemarle's own letters. The Duke of
Albemarle says that he did upon sight of the Dutch call a council of
officers, and they did conclude they could not avoid fighting the Dutch;
and yet we did go to the enemy, and found them at anchor, which is a
pretty contradiction. And he tells me that Spragg did the other day say
in the House, that the Prince, at his going from the Duke of Albemarle
with his fleete, did tell him that if the Dutch should come on, the Duke
was to follow him, the Prince, with his fleete, and not fight the Dutch.
Out of all this a great deal of good might well be picked. But it is a sad
consideration that all this picking of holes in one another's coats-- nay,
and the thanks of the House to the Prince and the Duke of Albemarle,
and all this envy and design to ruin Sir W. Coventry--did arise from Sir
W. Coventry's unfortunate mistake the other day, in producing of a
letter from the Duke of Albemarle, touching the good condition of all
things at Chatham just before the Dutch come up, and did us that fatal
mischiefe; for upon this they are resolved to undo him, and I pray God
they do not. He tells me upon my demanding it that he thinks the King
do not like this their bringing these narratives, and that they give out
that they would have said more but that the King hath hindered them,
that I suppose is about my Lord Sandwich. He is getting a copy of the

Narratives, which I shall then have, and so I parted from him and away
to White Hall, where I met Mr. Creed and Yeabsly, and discoursed a
little about Mr. Yeabsly's business and accounts, and so I to chapel and
there staid, it being All- Hallows day, and heard a fine anthem, made
by Pelham (who is come over) in France, of which there was great
expectation, and indeed is a very good piece of musique, but still I
cannot call the Anthem anything but instrumentall musique with the
voice, for nothing is made of the words at all. I this morning before
chapel visited Sir G. Carteret, who is vexed to see how things are likely
to go, but cannot help it, and yet seems to think himself mighty safe. I
also visited my Lord Hinchingbroke, at his chamber at White Hall,
where I found Mr. Turner, Moore, and Creed, talking of my Lord
Sandwich, whose case I doubt is but bad, and, I fear, will not escape
being worse, though some of the company did say otherwise. But I am
mightily pleased with my Lord Hinchingbroke's sobriety and few
words. After chapel I with Creed to the Exchange, and after much talk
he and I there about securing of some money either by land or goods to
be always at our command, which we think a thing advisable in this
critical time, we parted, and I to the Sun Taverne with Sir W. Warren
(with whom I have not drank many a day, having for some time been
strange to him), and there did put it to him to advise me how to dispose
of my prize, which he will think of and