her, whereof to be commanders my Lord Fairfax, Ingoldsby, Bethell,
Norton, and Birch, and other Presbyterians; and that Dr. Bates will have
liberty to preach. Now, whether this be true or not, I know not; but do
think that nothing but this will unite us together. Late at night comes
Mr. Hudson, the cooper, my neighbour, and tells me that he come from
Chatham this evening at five o'clock, and saw this afternoon "The Royal
James," "Oake," and "London," burnt by the enemy with their fire-ships:
that two or three men-of-war come up with them, and made no more of
Upnor Castle's shooting, than of a fly; that those ships lay below Upnor
Castle, but therein, I conceive, he is in an error; that the Dutch are
fitting out "The Royall Charles;" that we shot so far as from the Yard
thither, so that the shot did no good, for the bullets grazed on the
water; that Upnor played hard with their guns at first, but slowly
afterwards, either from the men being beat off, or their powder spent.
But we hear that the fleete in the Hope is not come up any higher the
last flood; and Sir W. Batten tells me that ships are provided to sink
in the River, about Woolwich, that will prevent their coming up higher
if they should attempt it. I made my will also this day, and did give
all I had equally between my father and wife, and left copies of it in
each of Mr. Hater and W. Hewer's hands, who both witnessed the will,
and so to supper and then to bed, and slept pretty well, but yet often
waking.

14th. Up, and to the office; where Mr. Fryer comes and tells me that
there are several Frenchmen and Flemish ships in the River, with passes
from the Duke of York for carrying of prisoners, that ought to be parted
from the rest of the ships, and their powder taken, lest they do fire
themselves when the enemy comes, and so spoil us; which is good advice,
and I think I will give notice of it; and did so. But it is pretty odd
to see how every body, even at this high time of danger, puts business
off of their own hands! He says that he told this to the Lieutenant of
the Tower, to whom I, for the same reason, was directing him to go; and
the Lieutenant of the Tower bade him come to us, for he had nothing to
do with it; and yesterday comes Captain Crew, of one of the fireships,
and told me that the officers of the Ordnance would deliver his gunner's
materials, but not compound them,

[Meaning, apparently, that the Ordnance would deliver the charcoal,
sulp