it come to pass that
so many ships miscarried this year, he tells me that he enquired; and
the pilots do say, that they dare not do nor go but as the Captains will
have them; and if they offer to do otherwise, the Captains swear they
will run them through. He says that he heard Captain Digby (my Lord of
Bristoll's son, a young fellow that never was but one year, if that, in
the fleete) say that he did hope he should not see a tarpaulin have the
command of a ship within this twelve months. He observed while he was on
board the Admirall, when the fleete was at Portsmouth, that there was a
faction there. Holmes commanded all on the Prince's side, and Sir Jeremy
Smith on the Duke's, and every body that come did apply themselves to
one side or other; and when the Duke of Albemarle was gone away to
come hither, then Sir Jeremy Smith did hang his head, and walked in the
Generall's ship but like a private commander. He says he was on board
The Prince, when the newes come of the burning of London; and all the
Prince said was, that now Shipton's prophecy was out; and he heard a
young commander presently swear, that now a citizen's wife that would
not take under half a piece before, would be occupied for half-a-crowne:
and made mighty sport of it. He says that Hubberd that commanded this
year the Admiral's ship is a proud conceited fellow (though I thought
otherwise of him), and fit to command a single ship but not a fleete,
and he do wonder that there hath not been more mischief this year than
there hath. He says the fleete come to anchor between the Horse and
the Island, so that when they came to weigh many of the ships could not
turn, but run foul of the Horse, and there stuck, but that the weather
was good. He says that nothing can do the King more disservice, nor
please the standing officers of the ship better than these silly
commanders that now we have, for they sign to anything that their
officers desire of them, nor have judgment to contradict them if they
would. He told me other good things, which made me bless God that we
have received no greater disasters this year than we have, though they
have been the greatest that ever was known in England before, put
all their losses of the King's ships by want of skill and seamanship
together from the beginning. He being gone, comes Sir G. Carteret, and
he and I walked together awhile, discoursing upon the sad condition of
the times, what need we have, and how impossible it is to