er up but hear the sad newes confirmed of the Royall
Charles being taken by them, and now in fitting by them--which Pett
should have carried up higher by our several orders, and deserves,
therefore, to be hanged for not doing it--and turning several others;
and that another fleete is come up into the Hope. Upon which newes the
King and Duke of York have been below--[Below London Bridge.]--since
four o'clock in the morning, to command the sinking of ships at
Barking-Creeke, and other places, to stop their coming up higher: which
put me into such a fear, that I presently resolved of my father's and
wife's going into the country; and, at two hours' warning, they did go
by the coach this day, with about L1300 in gold in their night-bag.
Pray God give them good passage, and good care to hide it when they come
home! but my heart is full of fear: They gone, I continued in fright and
fear what to do with the rest. W. Hewer hath been at the banker's, and
hath got L500 out of Backewell's hands of his own money; but they are
so called upon that they will be all broke, hundreds coming to them for
money: and their answer is, "It is payable at twenty days--when the days
are out, we will pay you;" and those that are not so, they make tell
over their money, and make their bags false, on purpose to give cause to
retell it, and so spend time. I cannot have my 200 pieces of gold again
for silver, all being bought up last night that were to be had, and
sold for 24 and 25s. a-piece. So I must keep the silver by me, which
sometimes I think to fling into the house of office, and then again know
not how I shall come by it, if we be made to leave the office. Every
minute some one or other calls for this or that order; and so I forced
to be at the office, most of the day, about the fire-ships which are
to be suddenly fitted out: and it's a most strange thing that we hear
nothing from any of my brethren at Chatham; so that we are wholly in the
dark, various being the reports of what is done there; insomuch that
I sent Mr. Clapham express thither to see how matters go: I did, about
noon, resolve to send Mr. Gibson away after my wife with another 1000
pieces, under colour of an express to Sir Jeremy Smith; who is, as I
hear, with some ships at Newcastle; which I did really send to him, and
may, possibly, prove of good use to the King; for it is possible, in the
hurry of business, they may not think of it at Court, and the charge of
an express is not