e, the King
may, by law, take any man's goods. At this business late, and then home;
where a great deal of serious talk with my wife about the sad state we
are in, and especially from the beating up of drums this night for the
trainbands upon pain of death to appear in arms to-morrow morning with
bullet and powder, and money to supply themselves with victuals for
a fortnight; which, considering the soldiers drawn out to Chatham and
elsewhere, looks as if they had a design to ruin the City and give it
up to be undone; which, I hear, makes the sober citizens to think very
sadly of things. So to bed after supper, ill in my mind. This afternoon
Mrs. Williams sent to me to speak with her, which I did, only about
news. I had not spoke with her many a day before by reason of Carcasses
business.

12th. Up very betimes to our business at the office, there hiring of
more fire-ships; and at it close all the morning. At noon home, and Sir
W. Pen dined with us. By and by, after dinner, my wife out by coach to
see her mother; and I in another, being afraid, at this busy time, to be
seen with a woman in a coach, as if I were idle, towards The. Turner's;
but met Sir W. Coventry's boy; and there in his letter find that the
Dutch had made no motion since their taking Sheernesse; and the Duke
of Albemarle writes that all is safe as to the great ships against any
assault, the boom and chaine being so fortified; which put my heart into
great joy.

[There had been correspondence with Pett respecting this chain in
April and May. On the 10th May Pett wrote to the Navy
Commissioners, "The chain is promised to be dispatched to-morrow,
and all things are ready for fixing it." On the 11th June the Dutch
"got twenty or twenty-two ships over the narrow part of the river at
Chatham, where ships had been sunk; after two and a half hours'
fighting one guard-ship after another was fired and blown up, and
the enemy master of the chain" ("Calendar of State Papers," 1667,
pp. 58, 87, 215).]

When I come to Sir W: Coventry's chamber, I find him abroad; but his
clerk, Powell, do tell me that ill newes is come to Court of the Dutch
breaking the Chaine at Chatham; which struck me to the heart. And to
White Hall to hear the truth of it; and there, going up the back-stairs,
I did hear some lacquies speaking of sad newes come to Court, saying,
that hardly anybody in the Court but do look as if he cried, and would