Diary, Aug/Sep 1666 | Page 5

parted, and
I with Creed down to the New Exchange Stairs, and there I took water,
and he parted, so home, and then down to Woolwich, reading and
making an end of the "Rival Ladys," and find it a very pretty play. At
Woolwich, it being now night, I find my wife and Mercer, and Mr.
Batelier and Mary there, and a supper getting ready. So I staid, in some
pain, it being late, and post night. So supped and merrily home, but it
was twelve at night first. However, sent away some letters, and home to
bed.

3rd. Up and to the office, where Sir W. Batten and I sat to contract for
some fire-ships. I there close all the morning. At noon home to dinner,

and then abroad to Sir Philip Warwicke's at White Hall about Tangier
one quarter tallys, and there had some serious discourse touching
money, and the case of the Navy, wherein all I could get of him was
that we had the full understanding of the treasure as much as my Lord
Treasurer himself, and knew what he can do, and that whatever our
case is, more money cannot be got till the Parliament. So talked of
getting an account ready as soon as we could to give the Parliament,
and so very melancholy parted. So I back again, calling my wife at her
sister's, from whose husband we do now hear that he was safe this week,
and going in a ship to the fleete from the buoy of the Nore, where he
has been all this while, the fleete being gone before he got down. So
home, and busy till night, and then to Sir W. Pen, with my wife, to sit
and chat, and a small supper, and home to bed. The death of Everson,
and the report of our success, beyond expectation, in the killing of so
great a number of men, hath raised the estimation of the late victory
considerably; but it is only among fools: for all that was but accidental.
But this morning, getting Sir .W. Pen to read over the Narrative with
me, he did sparingly, yet plainly, say that we might have intercepted
their Zealand squadron coming home, if we had done our parts; and
more, that we might have spooned before the wind as well as they, and
have overtaken their ships in the pursuite, in all the while.
[To spoom, or spoon, is to go right before the wind, without any sail.
Sea Dictionary. Dryden uses the word
"When virtue spooms before a prosperous gale, My heaving wishes
help to fill the sail." Hind and Panther, iii. 96.]

4th. Up, and to the office, where all the morning, and, at noon to dinner,
and Mr. Cooke dined with us, who is lately come from Hinchingbroke,
[Lord Hinchingbrooke] who is also come to town: The family all well.
Then I to the office, where very busy to state to Mr. Coventry the
account of the victuals of the fleete, and late at it, and then home to
supper and to bed. This evening, Sir W. Pen come into the garden, and
walked with me, and told me that he had certain notice that at Flushing
they are in great distraction. De Ruyter dares not come on shore for fear
of the people; nor any body open their houses or shops for fear of the
tumult: which is a every good hearing.

5th. (Lord's day). Up, and down to the Old Swan, and there called Betty
Michell and her husband, and had two or three a long salutes from her
out of sight of 'su mari', which pleased me mightily, and so carried
them by water to West minster, and I to St. James's, and there had a
meeting before the Duke of Yorke, complaining of want of money, but
nothing done to any purpose, for want we shall, so that now our advices
to him signify nothing. Here Sir W. Coventry did acquaint the Duke of
Yorke how the world do discourse of the ill method of our books, and
that we would consider how to answer any enquiry which shall be
made after our practice therein, which will I think concern the
Controller most, but I shall make it a memento to myself. Thence
walked to the Parish Church to have one look upon Betty Michell, and
so away homeward by water, and landed to go to the church, where, I
believe, Mrs. Horsely goes, by Merchant-tailors' Hall, and there I find
in the pulpit Elborough, my old schoolfellow and a simple rogue, and
yet I find him preaching a very good sermon, and in as right a
parson-like manner, and in good manner too, as I have heard any body;
and the