Diary, September 1665 | Page 8

Rained all the
afternoon and evening, so as my letters being done, I was forced to get
a bed at Captain Cocke's, where I find Sir W. Doyly, and he, and
Evelyn at supper; and I with them full of discourse of the neglect of our
masters, the great officers of State, about all business, and especially
that of money: having now some thousands prisoners, kept to no
purpose at a great charge, and no money provided almost for the doing
of it. We fell to talk largely of the want of some persons understanding

to look after businesses, but all goes to rack. "For," says Captain Cocke,
"my Lord Treasurer, he minds his ease, and lets things go how they will:
if he can have his L8000 per annum, and a game at l'ombre,--[Spanish
card game]-- he is well. My Lord Chancellor he minds getting of
money and nothing else; and my Lord Ashly will rob the Devil and the
Alter, but he will get money if it be to be got." But that that put us into
this great melancholy, was newes brought to-day, which Captain Cocke
reports as a certain truth, that all the Dutch fleete, men-of-war and
merchant East India ships, are got every one in from Bergen the 3d of
this month, Sunday last; which will make us all ridiculous. The fleete
come home with shame to require a great deale of money, which is not
to be had, to discharge many men that must get the plague then or
continue at greater charge on shipboard, nothing done by them to
encourage the Parliament to give money, nor the Kingdom able to spare
any money, if they would, at this time of the plague, so that, as things
look at present, the whole state must come to ruine. Full of these
melancholy thoughts, to bed; where, though I lay the softest I ever did
in my life, with a downe bed, after the Danish manner, upon me, yet I
slept very ill, chiefly through the thoughts of my Lord Sandwich's
concernment in all this ill successe at sea.

10th (Lord's day). Walked home; being forced thereto by one of my
watermen falling sick yesterday, and it was God's great mercy I did not
go by water with them yesterday, for he fell sick on Saturday night, and
it is to be feared of the plague. So I sent him away to London with his
fellow; but another boat come to me this morning, whom I sent to
Blackewall for Mr. Andrews. I walked to Woolwich, and there find Mr.
Hill, and he and I all the morning at musique and a song he hath set of
three parts, methinks, very good. Anon comes Mr. Andrews, though it
be a very ill day, and so after dinner we to musique and sang till about
4 or 5 o'clock, it blowing very hard, and now and then raining, and
wind and tide being against us, Andrews and I took leave and walked to
Greenwich. My wife before I come out telling me the ill news that she
hears that her father is very ill, and then I told her I feared of the plague,
for that the house is shut up. And so she much troubled she did desire
me to send them something; and I said I would, and will do so. But
before I come out there happened newes to come to the by an expresse

from Mr. Coventry, telling me the most happy news of my Lord
Sandwich's meeting with part of the Dutch; his taking two of their East
India ships, and six or seven others, and very good prizes and that he is
in search of the rest of the fleet, which he hopes to find upon the
Wellbancke, with the loss only of the Hector, poor Captain Cuttle. This
newes do so overjoy me that I know not what to say enough to express
it, but the better to do it I did walk to Greenwich, and there sending
away Mr. Andrews, I to Captain Cocke's, where I find my Lord
Bruncker and his mistress, and Sir J. Minnes. Where we supped (there
was also Sir W. Doyly and Mr. Evelyn); but the receipt of this newes
did put us all into such an extacy of joy, that it inspired into Sir J.
Minnes and Mr. Evelyn such a spirit of mirth, that in all my life I never
met with so merry a two hours as our company this night was. Among
other humours, Mr. Evelyn's repeating of some verses made up of
nothing but the various acceptations of may and can, and doing it so
aptly upon occasion of something of that nature, and so fast, did make
us all