ent the Duke of Albemarle, Anglesey,
Arlington, Ashly, Carteret, Duncomb, Coventry, Ingram, Clifford,
Lauderdale, Morrice, Manchester, Craven, Carlisle, Bridgewater. And
after Sir W. Coventry's telling them what orders His Royal Highness had
made for the safety of the Medway, I told them to their full content
what we had done, and showed them our letters. Then was Peter Pett
called in, with the Lieutenant of the Tower. He is in his old clothes,
and looked most sillily. His charge was chiefly the not carrying up of
the great ships, and the using of the boats in carrying away his goods;
to which he answered very sillily, though his faults to me seem only
great omissions. Lord Arlington and Coventry very severe against him;
the former saying that, if he was not guilty, the world would think them
all guilty.

[Pett was made a scapegoat. This is confirmed by Marvel:

"After this loss, to relish discontent,
Some one must be accused by Parliament;
All our miscarriages on Pett must fall,
His name alone seems fit to answer all.
Whose counsel first did this mad war beget?
Who all commands sold through the Navy? Pett.
Who would not follow when the Dutch were beat?
Who treated out the time at Bergen? Pett.
Who the Dutch fleet with storms disabled met,
And, rifling prizes, them neglected? Pett.
Who with false news prevented the Gazette,
The fleet divided, writ for Ruhert? Pett.
Who all our seamen cheated of their debt?
And all our prizes who did swallow? Pett.
Who did advise no navy out to set?
And who the forts left unprepared? Pett.
Who to supply with powder did forget
Languard, Sheerness, Gravesend, and Upnor? Pett.
Who all our ships exposed in Chatham net?
Who should it be but the fanatick Pett?
Pett, the sea-architect, in making ships,
Was the first cause of all these naval slips.
Had he not built, none of these faults had been;
If no creation, there had been no sin
But his great crime, one boat away he sent,
That lost our fleet, and did our flight prevent."

Instructions to a Painter.--B]

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