men
effectively always in armes of the Danes; nor, says he, could we expect
more from the Dane than he did, it being impossible to set fire on the
ships but it must burn the towne. But that wherein the Dane did amisse
is, that he did assist them, the Dutch, all the while, while he was
treating with us, while he should have been neutrall to us both. But,
however, he did demand but the treaty of us; which is, that we should
not come with more than five ships. A flag of truce is said, and
confessed by my Lord, that he believes it was hung out; but while they
did hang it out, they did shoot at us; so that it was not either seen
perhaps, or fit to cease upon sight of it, while they continued actually
in action against us. But the main thing my Lord wonders at, and
condemns the Dane for, is, that the blockhead, who is so much in debt
to the Hollander, having now a treasure more by much than all his Crowne
was worth, and that which would for ever have beggared the Hollanders,
should not take this time to break with the Hollander, and, thereby
paid his debt which must have been forgiven him, and got the greatest
treasure into his hands that ever was together in the world. By and by
my Lord took me aside to discourse of his private matters, who was very
free with me touching the ill condition of the fleete that it hath been
in, and the good fortune that he hath had, and nothing else that these
prizes are to be imputed to. He also talked with me about Mr. Coventry's
dealing with him in sending Sir W. Pen away before him, which was not
fair nor kind; but that he hath mastered and cajoled Sir W. Pen, that he
hath been able to do, nothing in the fleete, but been obedient to him;
but withal tells me he is a man that is but of very mean parts, and a
fellow not to be lived with, so false and base he is; which I know well
enough to be very true, and did, as I had formerly done, give my Lord my
knowledge of him. By and by was called a Council of Warr on board, when
come Sir W. Pen there, and Sir Christopher Mings, Sir Edward Spragg,
Sir Jos. Jordan, Sir Thomas Teddiman, and Sir Roger Cuttance, and so the
necessity of the fleete for victuals, clothes, and money was discoursed,
but by the discourse there of all but my Lord, that is to say, the
counterfeit grave nonsense of Sir W. Pen and the poor mean discourse
of the rest, methinks I saw how the government and management of the
greatest business of the three nations is committed to very ord